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UT Welcome Week starts Friday with mix of virtual and in-person events

First-year students are required to participate in the "Big Orange Welcome" event, either virtually or by signing up for a session with the Volunteer Life App.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn — Students at the University of Tennessee are returning to class with several changes on campus to protect them during the COVID-19 pandemic. There will also be changes to Welcome Week, a week of events hosted by UT to welcome students back to campus.

This year, it is offering a mix of in-person and virtual events to help students get adjusted to being back in class. Welcome Week 2020 kicks off Sunday, Aug. 16 and will continue until Aug. 23. There will be more than 250 events to choose from, to help students settle back into life at Rocky Top.

First-year students will be required to participate in Big Orange Welcome the day after they move in, according to officials. It is a half-day program with sessions and workshops to teach students about Vol Success Teams and explore the meaning of becoming a Volunteer.

Students will be able to attend Big Orange Welcome virtually. They can sign up for a morning session, between 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., or an afternoon session, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. They can sign up through the Volunteer Life App, which gives students with announcements from officials and helps them access their schedule.

Other events will be socially-distanced. They include identity-based socials, college welcome events, diversity programming, self-guided campus tours and opportunities through Explore Knoxville.

A full calendar of events is available on the University of Tennessee's website.

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