New Mav Days at CMU

CMU welcomed over 2000 new students at New Mav Days

Students from across the country gathered at Colorado Mesa University to celebrate New Mav Days, a four-day event that gives incoming students a chance to build relationships, have fun and kick off a new chapter in college.

New Mav Days is put on by the CMU Admissions team, with more than 60 ambassadors and admissions counselors helping organize the event and ensure every student has a fun and welcoming experience. From moving in to tailgate barbecues, New Mav Days had something for every student to enjoy.

On Aug. 12, students began moving into the residence halls and spent part of their day at the “Taking Care of Business Fair,” a gathering in the University Center where students could handle logistical tasks with campus departments like Educational Access Services, Financial Aid, Payroll, IRIS, the Registrar's office and others. Later that night, students gathered in the heart of campus to enjoy lawn games, line dancing and even a campus-wide game of capture the flag put on by the Hamilton Recreation Center.

On Thursday, Aug. 13, Mavericks new and old met in downtown Grand Junction at the farmers market to enjoy shopping, food and a Mavs on Main experience. The first 500 attendees also received special CMU swag.

The next day, the Admissions team welcomed CMU Tech students to campus, giving them time to meet their advisors and instructors in their respective majors. On CMU’s main campus, transfer and nontraditional students explored campus and prepared for the semester. In the afternoon, students attended an Academic Welcome Tailgate, where incoming freshmen could meet professors from their departments or explore areas of study if they were undeclared.

In the evening, President John Marshall welcomed more than 2,000 new students to Brownson Arena and even faced off in a half-court shot basketball challenge against one lucky student, who walked away with a cooler full of CMU gear. Afterward, students were invited to New Mav Nights, an event featuring live music, food vendors and more.

The fourth and final day of New Mav Days gave every student an opportunity to find something that interested them. In the morning, students could choose from numerous events happening on campus, including a color run, esports meet-up, faith and belief fair, first-generation student meet-up, pickleball tournament and more. Breakfast was available, and students could also attend a club fair afterward.

In the afternoon, the Mav Mix and Mingle allowed students to connect with organizations and opportunities, ranging from fraternities to on-campus jobs. A campus-wide scavenger hunt followed, rewarding participants with prizes. On the final night of New Mav Days, students gathered across the Foster Fieldhouse lawn and the Plaza for music from a DJ, dinner and other activities.

New Mav Days at CMU is an integral part of the experience for incoming freshmen and other new students. The four-day event provides many opportunities for students to meet new friends, explore their interests and learn what it means to be a Maverick. Melissa Keeler, assistant director of admissions events, emphasized the value of this first introduction to CMU.

“It’s very important,” said Keeler. “It helps [students] establish friendships and community and makes them feel like they belong here before they start classes.”

As another school year kicks off, more than 2,000 new students have begun building their foundation for their time at CMU.