AUSTIN, Texas—Art dances with science in the grand finale of GONE TO TEXAS ’99, producing a magical medley of light and sound against the backdrop of the 307-foot-tall UT Austin Tower. The laser light show will provide a dramatic conclusion to the one-hour GTT program, set for 8 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 24.
The exciting conclusion to the GTT event follows Texas-style welcoming activities for students new to UT Austin on the night before fall classes begin. New undergraduate and graduate students will experience GTT in the heart of the campus, at the base of the Tower, where they will return several years hence for their Commencement.
GTT is a centerpiece event around which a variety of welcoming activities planned by academic colleges and schools, University units and student organizations are planned. Offices and groups such as the Dean of Students Office, Housing and Food Service, Recreational Sports, Intercollegiate Athletics, the Texas Union, Ex-Students’ Association, Student Government, the Cabinet of College Councils and others offer programs designed to ease an incoming student’s transition to a new and unfamiliar environment.
The hour-long program, which is sponsored by the Office of the President, will include
- Remarks by UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner welcoming new students to the campus.
- Remarks by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson.
- Brief greetings æ in song and verse æ by a diverse representation of faculty, staff and students that showcase the rich cultural environment available to UT students and explain the University’s core purpose and values.
- A visual collage of images that provides a glimpse of UT’s many traditions, from Bevo and Smokey the Cannon to the University’s birthday celebration and Commencement, that students will encounter in their years at UT.
- Dramatic lighting of the Tower in lasers as part of the grand finale featuring the first public performance of the Longhorn Band in its Centennial Year and under the guidance of new director Dr. Kevin L. Sedatole.
From 9 to 10:30 p.m., a concert and dance featuring Brave Combo will take place on the South Mall. In the event of rain, festivities will be moved to the Texas Union.
