The University of Texas at Austin will welcome new students to the campus on Aug. 26 at “Gone to Texas,” an annual program highlighting what it means to be a Longhorn and the academic mission of the university.
The ceremony on the university’s Main Mall will begin at 8 p.m., the evening before classes begin on Aug. 27. The event introduces the traditions of the institution and core purpose, values and honor code of the university.
The event for incoming freshmen, transfer, graduate and law students is presented by the Office of the President with support and sponsorship by the University Co-op. It is a welcoming event based on a chapter in the history of the migration to Texas. More than 200 years ago, as adventurers pulled up stakes seeking a fresh start, three letters etched on homestead doors revealed their destination. “GTT” was written on the doors of people indicating they had “Gone to Texas.”
The event will feature a special program from the Tower observation deck and greetings from student leaders, faculty members and officials, including President William Powers Jr. It also will include performances by Inner Visions Gospel Choir, the GinDaiko Japanese drummers and the Nritya Sangham dance troupe, showcasing the diversity of the university community and the range of opportunity available to students. The program finale will be a performance by the Longhorn Band.
Advice for New Students
Get involved! The university is only big if you let it be big, but if you begin exploring ways to get involved, you will be amazed at how small the university community becomes.
Leslie Ritchie, J.D.
Mineral Wells, Texas
Read much more from Advice for New Students on the Gone to Texas Web site.
Following Gone to Texas, students can enjoy the music of Grupo Fantasma on the South Mall. The alternate location for the celebration, if rain occurs, will be Gregory Gymnasium. More information about the event is available on the Gone to Texas Web site.
As a part of the celebration, many colleges and schools host programs prior to the university-wide celebration. A list of the pre-event activities by schools and colleges may be viewed online.
Gone to Texas will be broadcast live on channels 25 and 45 of the campus cable system. Those wishing to view the program from a remote location may do so via a live webcast. Live streaming for the webcast will begin at 7:45 p.m. on Aug. 26.
