New students and members of student leadership shared lunch, jokes and laughter at the new student lunch on Aug. 30 in the J.J. Room. Each new student received an invitation, which invited him or her to join a leadership member for lunch.

“Kids come here not knowing anybody and it can be intimidating,” student leadership adviser Christopher Schultz said. “This lunch is an opportunity for student leadership to reach out, and for new students to meet other students who are in the same position they are.”

An “icebreaker game” followed lunch. The game consisted of personal questions being asked to and answered by the new students. Laughter followed as the students from other tables tried to guess who was being described.

The tables, which were decorated with eagles and streamers, had a centerpiece of a large, elaborately adorned cake. The cake was later destroyed in a frantic game of grab ?n’ stab.

“We are playing lots of ?get to know you’ games,” said co-adviser Eunie McEntee, “so the new students feel welcomed and can get to know others.”

Each new student was seated at a table with his or her leadership buddy. Over bagged lunches, provided by leadership, the pairs got to know not only each other, but also the other groups at their table.

“I’ve met lots of people already, and everybody’s here,” Maddie Erwin, ’04, said. “I can catch up with the people I’ve already met. Some people here are new to me though, and I can get a chance to meet them.”

The lunch was planned and carried out by students as one part of several activities created to incorporate new students into life on campus. Buddies were assigned over the summer, and each one received a phone call and note from their leadership friend, prior to the lunch.

“This is the second year we’ve done a new student lunch,” John Wiens, ’02, said. “We just want to make the new kids feel welcomed. I think it works. People seem to have a good time.”