The fall semester begins on Wednesday Aug. 29, and the campus will soon be buzzing with carnival games, ice cream socials, resource fairs and more! In addition to the large-scale university-wide events, there are several welcome events offered by the Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC), Multicultural Engagement Center (MEC) and Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) that can help students find their communities on campus.

Liz Elsen, director of the Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC), is excited to see the center packed with students as they tour the space and meet with agency members and campus partners. While visiting the center, students will find an array of resources such as the lending library filled with books and DVDs about women’s studies and the LGBTQ+ community. They’ll also discover opportunities to get involved in student advocacy groups, campus education programs, mentoring and more.

“We really want people to learn where the space is here on campus,” Elsen says. “I think that a lot of people think they need a reason to come visit the GSC, so this is our way of letting them know that they can always just come by whenever they want.”

Located just one floor down from the GSC is the Multicultural Engagement Center (MEC), a hub for campus advocacy work, multicultural education and diversity training. Krysta Chacon, a program coordinator at the MEC, hopes the many fun-filled activities will help students find their home base on campus.

“Hopefully they’ll find their home at the MEC, but we know they can also find their place at many other centers and organizations on campus,” Chacon says. “We just want to connect them with the resources they need right at the start of the school year.”

Services for Students with Disabilities will also offer a number of “welcome back” events to prepare students for success. Keeping with its mission to make the campus more accessible, SSD aims to provide accommodations to students with disabilities right when they begin their college career.

“We want the incoming students to know about our resources and services before the need arises, and for them to know that help is available, much in the same way that students know where to go for tutoring, career services or medical attention,” says Kelli Bradley, executive director of SSD.

Whether students are in need of educational resources or if they’re looking for a community of like-minded peers, there is a welcome event that will point them in the right direction. We encourage all members of the university community to peruse the list of events below and to take advantage of the many resources this university has to offer! For more about the GSC, MEC and SSD, read this magazine feature, “Home Away from Home.”

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Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC)

Contact the GSC for more information: 512-232-1831, gsc@austin.utexas.edu. Location:  Student Activity Center (SAC), room 2.112

GSC Open House
What: Stop by the GSC to learn more about its many offerings. The event will include fun activities such as “speed-friending” and tours of the center.
When: 5-6:30 p.m., Aug. 28
Where: Student Activity Center (SAC), room 2.112

Feminist Ice Cream Social
What: Enjoy ice cream and good company while learning about the intersectional feminist work that students are doing—and what you can do too!
When: 7-8 p.m., Aug. 29
Where: Student Activity Center (SAC), room 2.112

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Multicultural Engagement Center (MEC)

Contact the MEC for more information: 512-232-2958, mec@austin.utexas.edu. Location: Student Activity Center (SAC), room 1.102

New Black Student Weekend Block Party (Afrikan American Affairs)
What: The Block Party is a celebratory event that promotes undergraduate success. The event also informs students about resources available on campus that will enhance their college experience.
When: 5 p.m., Aug. 24
Where: Spanish Oaks Terrace

¡Adelante! (Latino Community Affairs)
What: Adelante is a resource fair geared toward Latinx students. The fair is open to all students and will feature food, music, various fun activities and prizes.
When: 5 p.m., Aug. 29
Where: Gregory Gym Arena

Bloq Party (Queer People of Color and Allies)
What: The Bloq Party is a resource fair and welcome event to support  LGBTQ+ students. The fair is open to all students and will feature music, various fun activities and prizes.
When: 5 p.m., Aug. 30
Where: East Mall

Four Directions (Native American and Indigenous Collective)
What: Four Directions is a welcome event and resource fair, open to everyone. Four Directions is designed for incoming first-year and transfer students who are Native American and Indigenous in order to help give them a sense of community, presence and belonging on campus, and to give other people in the UT community a greater insight into the native and indigenous presence at UT Austin.
When: 5 p.m., Sept. 4
Where: Perry-Castañeda Library (PCL) Plaza

Justice Jubilee (Students for Equity and Diversity)
What: Justice Jubilee is a resource fair geared toward students with emerging interests in social justice, including environmental justice, racial justice and more. The fair is open to all students and will feature various fun activities and prizes and opportunities to engage in social justice work.
When: 5 p.m., Sept. 5
Where: East Mall

YBO: You Bring Out the Asian in Me (Asian Desi Pacific Islander American Collective)
What: YBO is both a resource fair and concert for incoming students. The YBO resource fair provides opportunities to find student organizations and professional development opportunities. The event culminates in a concert by a prominent Asian American artist.
When: 4 p.m., Sept. 6
Where: Texas Union Ballroom

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Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD)

For more details about RSVP-only events, contact SSD at 512-471-6259, 512-410-6644 (video phone), ssd@austin.utexas.edu. Location: Student Services Building (SSB), room 4.206. Website: diversity.utexas.edu/disability/

Accommodation Orientation
What: You’ve had your intake appointment, now what? Designed for incoming students, come learn and discuss how to use accommodations at UT from current UT Students and SSD staff.
When: 3-4 p.m., Aug. 27 and 4:30-6 p.m., Sept. 6
Where: Student Services Building (SSB), room 4.206
RSVP Required

disABILITY Advocacy Student Coalition (DASC) Info Session
What: Want to meet other students and get involved with disability awareness and advocacy on campus? Come learn more about DASC! Regular weekly meetings will start on Sept. 17 in the Student Activity Center (SAC), room 3.116. Email dascatut@gmail.com for information.
When: 6-8 p.m., Sept. 10
Where: George I. Sanchez Building (SZB) Lobby

Deaf/Hard of Hearing Meet and Greet
What: Deaf and hard of hearing students and other members of the UT community are invited to connect and build community.
When: 5-6:30 p.m., Sept. 11
Where: Student Services Building (SSB), room 4.206

Discuss Your Accommodations with Confidence
What: Do you want to improve your skill and confidence in talking to professors about your accommodations? Join SSD and the Student Ombuds for an interactive self-advocacy workshop that will prepare you to approach your professors with more confidence.
When: 3-4 p.m., Sept. 12
Where: Student Services Building (SSB), room 4.206
RSVP required

Campus Safety Event
What: Do you know how to evacuate buildings on campus or how to receive emergency notifications? Come learn and ask questions of campus safety experts about how to stay safe on campus.
When: 4:30-5:30 p.m., Sept. 25
Where: Student Activity Center (SAC), room 3.106