Welcome Week

Welcome Week: the journey begins

To begin the traditional foot-washing and prayer ceremony, Provost Dr. Randy Richards, above, Athletic Director Courtney Lovely Evans and Executive Vice President Laura Bishop, with other members of the cabinet, washed the feet of student leaders. The student leaders, in turn, washed the feet of new students and prayed with them.

New students learn, serve, play and pray together

The Thursday before fall classes began, new students decorated their sailor hats and entered a welcome rally to the exuberant cheers of student leaders. Steering Committee members had planned a packed schedule of activities for the new Sailfish to enjoy within their “Fish Groups.” After the rally, students moved to a block party, while their parents had an ice cream social with President Dr. Debra A. Schwinn, her husband, Bob Gerstmyer, members of her cabinet and deans. Friday morning students spread out all over the Rubin Arena floor for their first Workship community service project: making blankets for hospitalized children. Other activities included prayer and worship, orientation, an evening of fun at the Marshall & Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus and a closing rally with lip sync battle. The weekend concluded with a special foot-washing ceremony Sunday afternoon, in which leaders washed the feet of incoming students. The experience is modeled after Jesus washing the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, setting the pattern for the world-changing servant leadership that is an ongoing goal for Palm Beach Atlantic students, faculty, staff and alumni.