Interface Week Invites New Students into the FHU Family
“Two weeks. Just give it two weeks, and this place will feel like home.” When President David R. Shannon offered this advice two years ago to a freshman class that included Eli Neal, he had no idea how deeply it would resonate.
As a young man from Naples, Florida, who was brand new to Tennessee and Freed-Hardeman University, Neal struggled with this advice. He was homesick, tired and unsure about college life. But after experiencing his first Interface, and the fun and connections it provided, he finally started to feel at home at FHU.
Now a junior and one of two student Interface coordinators, Neal was eager to assure that this year’s freshmen and transfer students experienced the same warm welcome that he once received. He and his co-coordinator, Sarah Pollock, a junior from Florence, Alabama, worked for months to plan, organize and implement a fun-filled week designed to set new students up for success and connection.
“We are proud of our student leaders on campus,” FHU Dean of Student Life Tony Allen said. “They work hard to make the new students feel welcome and at home. The Interface team consists of two student coordinators (Eli and Sarah), 12 directors and 56 group leaders. It’s humbling to work with students who put not only hard work into what they do but also love and concern for the physical and emotional well being of our students.”
“Two weeks. Just give it two weeks, and this place will feel like home.” When President David R. Shannon offered this advice two years ago to a freshman class that included Eli Neal, he had no idea how deeply it would resonate.
As a young man from Naples, Florida, who was brand new to Tennessee and Freed-Hardeman University, Neal struggled with this advice. He was homesick, tired and unsure about college life. But after experiencing his first Interface, and the fun and connections it provided, he finally started to feel at home at FHU.
Now a junior and one of two student Interface coordinators, Neal was eager to assure that this year’s freshmen and transfer students experienced the same warm welcome that he once received. He and his co-coordinator, Sarah Pollock, a junior from Florence, Alabama, worked for months to plan, organize and implement a fun-filled week designed to set new students up for success and connection.
“We are proud of our student leaders on campus,” FHU Dean of Student Life Tony Allen said. “They work hard to make the new students feel welcome and at home. The Interface team consists of two student coordinators (Eli and Sarah), 12 directors and 56 group leaders. It’s humbling to work with students who put not only hard work into what they do but also love and concern for the physical and emotional well being of our students.”
Meet and Greet
Nerves and expectations ran high Saturday, August 10, as freshmen and transfer students arrived on campus to begin their FHU journey. Neal and Pollock greeted each student individually in the Welcome Home check-in line before the arduous move-in process began. Student volunteers, faculty and staff assisted new students and their families as they familiarized themselves with the campus that they would soon call home.
Later that day, students attended Opening Ceremonies and were introduced to their new Interface groups. These groups, each consisting of around eight to 13 other students and two group leaders, became a makeshift “family” for the week. For some, their Interface “family” will become their first friends in a brand new phase of life.
"Just Give it two weeks and this place will feel like home."
Making Connections
As classes officially began Wednesday, August 14, Interface activities slowed, but students still had opportunities to bond with new friends at a Clayton Chapel Singing, a Besso’s Welcome Bash, campus devotionals and dinners in the homes of faculty and staff members.
Friday evening, various Interface groups decided to pair up for a group “date night,” allowing students to get to know members of groups other than their own. Some groups chose trips to Dairy Queen or Sonic, others went bowling and some even opted for a mass video game marathon.
These spontaneous activities, according to student coordinators, are part of what makes the week truly special. “The little things that aren’t on the schedule – the moments in-between – can end up being the most fun bonding experiences,” Neal said.
A Unique Experience
By the end of their first week as FHU students, most Interface participants were exhausted but excited about all of the new possibilities ahead of them. For student coordinators, leaders and directors, the positive impact they can make on new students is one of the most special things about the Interface experience.
In considering the responsibility of an Interface leader, Pollack said, “As an upperclassman, you can help make or break the initial experience for these students. You could be the reason they either want to stay or want to go home. Not every school has something like this. There are so many opportunities for people to plug in.”
Neal agrees, noting the importance of quality time spent on the most important aspects of building a school community. “When you go to some other universities, they may have rush week, and you may try to get into a club or a frat or a sorority,” Neal added. “But here it’s like, ‘Come be part of this family first. We’ll deal with clubs and all the rest later. Let’s make you guys feel connected and a part of the Freed-Hardeman family first.
Reflecting on his own Interface experience, Neal recognized how far he had come and how true President Shannon’s words to his own class had been. “He was right,” Neal admits. “This place really does feel like home.”
And for the new students of 2024, that feeling has just begun.
Making Connections
As classes officially began Wednesday, August 14, Interface activities slowed, but students still had opportunities to bond with new friends at a Clayton Chapel Singing, a Besso’s Welcome Bash, campus devotionals and dinners in the homes of faculty and staff members.
Friday evening, various Interface groups decided to pair up for a group “date night,” allowing students to get to know members of groups other than their own. Some groups chose trips to Dairy Queen or Sonic, others went bowling and some even opted for a mass video game marathon.
These spontaneous activities, according to student coordinators, are part of what makes the week truly special. “The little things that aren’t on the schedule – the moments in-between – can end up being the most fun bonding experiences,” Neal said.
A Unique Experience
By the end of their first week as FHU students, most Interface participants were exhausted but excited about all of the new possibilities ahead of them. For student coordinators, leaders and directors, the positive impact they can make on new students is one of the most special things about the Interface experience.
In considering the responsibility of an Interface leader, Pollack said, “As an upperclassman, you can help make or break the initial experience for these students. You could be the reason they either want to stay or want to go home. Not every school has something like this. There are so many opportunities for people to plug in.”
Neal agrees, noting the importance of quality time spent on the most important aspects of building a school community. “When you go to some other universities, they may have rush week, and you may try to get into a club or a frat or a sorority,” Neal added. “But here it’s like, ‘Come be part of this family first. We’ll deal with clubs and all the rest later. Let’s make you guys feel connected and a part of the Freed-Hardeman family first.
Reflecting on his own Interface experience, Neal recognized how far he had come and how true President Shannon’s words to his own class had been. “He was right,” Neal admits. “This place really does feel like home.”
And for the new students of 2024, that feeling has just begun.
