Tuesday, August 18, 2026
CVTC’s New Student Welcome Day quells fears, builds confidence
Students who attended the New Student Welcome Day at Chippewa Valley Technical College on Monday posed with Ollie the CVTC River Otter in between meeting instructors and fellow classmates.
As the sun peeked over the pedestrian bridge suspended over Clairemont Avenue early Monday morning, more than 800 students walked through the doors of Chippewa Valley Technical College, many for the first time.
Some arrived knowing exactly where they were going. Others were still figuring out the details. Some came with excitement. Others came with a few nerves and a lot of questions.
That’s exactly why CVTC hosts New Student Welcome Day, said Forrest Buck, CVTC director of Career Development and organizer of the event.
The annual event is about much more than learning where to park, finding a classroom or picking up a student ID. It’s about something that can be more difficult to put on a checklist: belonging.
“It’s important to remember why we do this,” Buck said. “The day can feel long, but the student impact is our why.”
That impact starts with connection.
Throughout the day, new students had opportunities to meet their instructors, connect with CVTC services and get to know the people who will soon become their classmates. They played games, laughed, asked questions, explored campus and started to feel at home.
For some students, the day marked their first experience on a college campus.
For others, it may have been their second, third or even fourth attempt at finding the right path in higher education.
Either way, walking into a new environment can be intimidating.
“For some students, this is their first time on a college campus,” Buck said. “Our goal is to make them feel welcome, and to have them leave feeling like they made the right choice to come to CVTC.”
That feeling can happen unexpectedly, he said.
Like a faculty member taking the time to answer a question, laughter that breaks out during a round of “This or That,” or a casual game of pool in Ollie’s Den that makes campus feel a little less unfamiliar.
“Those moments matter,” he said. “You could feel the nervousness melt away. That’s the real measure of success for the day.”
Buck said when the first day of classes arrives, next week, students will walk through the doors feeling confident and ready for their journey, not worried about fitting in.
“They are now part of the River Otter family,” Buck said. “And that is one heck of a family to be a part of.”
