AUSTIN, Texas — The singing of “The Eyes of Texas,” the ringing of Tower chimes, the display of the giant Texas flag from the top of the Main Building by the Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity.
Honor Society students carrying college and school banners, spirited performances by UT Austin cheerleaders, Texas Pom, the Longhorn Band and student dance groups.
A spectacular laser light show.
The debut of the Blue Healers, a new Austin band featuring Malford Milligan, former lead singer of the nationally known group Storyville.
A time to meet President Larry R. Faulkner, deans and professors and be introduced to UT traditions, old and new, through a visual collage of images projected on multimedia video screens.
All taking place on Aug. 29 in the heart of the campus, at the base of the 307-foot-tall UT Tower — the site of Commencement — on the night before fall classes begin.
If it sounds like UT Austin officials are serious about providing a first-class welcome to students new to the campus, then the theme of its Gone to Texas 2000! celebration offers further proof: “It’s Your Time” — time for new students to take advantage of all that UT Austin offers, time to meet new and diverse individuals, time to get involved in some of the many student organizations, time to learn about age-old traditions and time to create new ones.
Gone to Texas, sponsored by the Office of the President and produced by the Office of University Relations, is set for 8-9 p.m., Aug. 29. A pre-show concert featuring Los Pinky’s,a conjunto group, will take place on the Tower stage.
Gone to Texas is a centerpiece event around which a variety of welcoming activities are planned by academic colleges and schools, University units and student organizations. 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 students’ transition to a new and unfamiliar environment.
Following the Gone to Texas program, a concert and dance featuring the Blue Healers will take place on the South Mall, beginning at 9:15 p.m. In the event of rain, festivities will be moved to the Texas Union.
