This September members of Cheyney University’s staff, administration, and faculty decided to greet returning students and their new students with a special event called We Could Not Wait to CU. Special care packages were put together to welcome the students as a unique way of greeting them.
“It was the first year we did something like this,” said Marsha Depte-Brown, Cheyney’s coordinator of advancement and external relations, who planned the entire event along with coordinating the welcome package/gift box process.
“We were on a retention retreat and the idea came up not just to welcome new students but the returning students also,” she said. “We wanted to welcome them in a different way. This was a unique way of saying welcome back to Cheyney.”
The packages contained face masks with the Cheyney logo, bottles of hand sanitizers, school supplies, and snacks, and a personal note signed by the faculty and staff members. There was also a copy of What I Wish I Knew When I Was in School, by Jerry Franklin Poe. Poe is also the founder of Poetential Unlimited LLC a company designed to train and equip the mind, activate the vision, and cultivate the passion.
“The book was an excellent choice,” Depte-Brown said.
Depte-Brown went on to say there were two events to welcome the new and returning students.
First, there was a team-building event put together by Clifton Anderson, Cheyney’s senior advisor and chief strategist.
“Clifton invited staff and faculty to lunch and asked everyone to form two lines. We had no idea there was going to be music,” Depte-Brown said. “Everyone danced Soul Train style, but no one could repeat the same dance and there were incentives for which group filled to most packages. The second event was to have the students pick up their packages which also included Cheyney swag, t-shirts, book bags, water bottles, and such. I’ve been with Cheyney going on five years and it’s wonderful being part of an institution that has lasted for 184 years and is going to continue.”
Overall, the event was a great time for staff and students. The students were very surprised and appreciative of the gesture.