“Gone to Texas,” the official welcome for new students entering The University of Texas at Austin, will be held on the university’s Main Mall at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 25, the evening before classes start on Aug. 26.
The traditional ceremony for incoming freshmen, transfer, graduate and law students highlights the significance of being a student and the academic mission of the university. It also introduces the traditions of the institution and core purpose, values and honor code of the university.
The welcoming event is 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, presented by the Office of the President with support and sponsorship by the University Co-op, will feature greetings from student leaders and university officials, including President William Powers Jr. It will include performances by student groups showcasing the diversity of the university community and the range of opportunity available to students. Short video productions by student winners of the GTT Video Contest will be shown and the program finale will be a performance by the Longhorn Band.
Following Gone to Texas, students will be treated to 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 is online.
Gone to Texas will be broadcast live on channel 25 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 8:15 p.m. on Aug. 25. RealPlayer is required to watch the webcast. Download RealPlayer.
