Sept. 15: Class of 2016 Welcome Tailgate

New students can meet, show school spirit at Welcome Tailgate

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1:59 p.m., Sept. 11, 2012--For the first time, new University of Delaware students will be able to attend a tailgate designed just for them prior to the home football game against Bucknell on Saturday, Sept. 15, at Delaware Stadium.

The Class of 2016 Welcome Tailgate will be from 1-3 p.m., ending half an hour before kickoff. 

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“It’s an opportunity for first year students to come down and socialize and get into the spirit of the game,” said José-Luis Riera, associate dean of students. 

The tailgate is a collaboration sponsored by Student Wellness and Health Promotion, Athletics, Alumni Relations, Office of the Dean of Students, University of Delaware Alumni Association and First Year Experience

New students who attend the tailgate can mingle with each other while playing games, listening to music, winning prizes and enjoying free pizza from Grotto Pizza. The Welcome Tailgate will also be the only opportunity for new students to pick up the official Cass of 2016 Cockpit T-shirts. 

The hope for this new tradition is twofold. “We want to expose students to the football tradition at UD, as well as set a model of healthy tailgating,” said Riera. 

To get ready for the tailgate, new students can register online at bluehens.com/freshmen and look for updates on the Blue Hen Says Facebook page

Special buses will be running on Saturday, beginning at 12:30 p.m., to transport freshmen to the stadium for the tailgate. 

Tailgate funding

Funding for this project has been provided by the state of Delaware’s Department for Health and Social Services, Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Article by Kelley Bregenzer

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