NIU’s Office of Orientation and Student Assistance will begin its New Student Welcome Days program on Aug. 25, with several activities highlighting the week.

The program is backed this year by roughly 460 volunteer students, or NI Guides.

NI Guides are continuing NIU students who volunteer to assist new freshmen and transfer students to move in at NIU and adjust to university life. Informational meetings for future NI Guides are held before the end of the spring semester. During the summer, those students who signed up to be guides are sent a list of names which includes freshmen and transfer students. The guides send these students letters, in which they describe student life at NIU, upcoming activities, and what they might want to bring with them in the fall.

NI Guides generally move in a day before everyone else to get settled in, and attend a meeting that night. During this meeting, they receive instructions on how they can help students during the next week.

“Essentially our system is a referral system,” said Robin Kaminsky, student coordinator for New Student Welcome Days. “Not all of the guides can know all the answers, but they can tell students to come to us.”

Sharon Ainger, graduate assistant for oientation, said, “I’ve seen it (the NI Guide program) grow a great deal. The students are coming out in overwhelming support.

“…It’s (the program) students helping students. There really is no other program on campus that gives students so much leadership and input,” Ainger said.

Scheduled activities include a campus-wide barbeque and “Gamesfest” on Aug. 25. Other activities included are an activities fair, canoe rides, outdoor games, a bonfire, dances, bands, and a performance Aug. 28 by hypnotist Tom DeLuca, who received the 1986 “Campus Entertainer of the Year” award.

Kaminsky said all activities have been moved over to the West Lagoon this year in order to get more student response.

The official start of New Student Welcome Days is the barbeque on Aug. 24, Kaminsky said. That night, each residence hall will sponsor its own activities for new or returning students.

This year, the Office of Orientation and Student Assistance is using a new videotape to help train their NI Guides.

Approximately 50 Student Association-recognized organizations will participate in Friday Fest, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 26. Informational displays, games, plant and craft sales, music, a food fair, a fashion show, and a free non-alcoholic bar are among the highlights.

Between 1 and 4 p.m. on Aug. 28, Sunday in the Park will be held at the West Lagoon, and will feature canoe rides, an ice cream social, and games. A Hawaiian luau and pig roast will be held at 4 p.m. Tickets will be $3.