Elijah Lovelace, 2nd year student, gives a recap on the first week of the school year.

Welcome Week 2024 was a special and noteworthy occurrence as it introduced us to and allowed us to become familiar with those who have chosen to attend The Institute for GOD and pursue a Biblical education! Welcome weeks are important to returning students as they allow us to come alongside and get to know those who are new, as well as show our support. These weeks are packed with fun activities, challenges, special times of fellowship, worship, prayer, and so much more! Welcome Week is important to both the foundation of friendships, and the introduction to college life at The Institute.

Welcome Week began with a new-student move-in day! Staff and returning students spent the day assisting new students as they integrated into their new homes and became familiar with a new environment. Additionally, move-in day is a great opportunity for the family members of our new students to meet staff, take tours, and discover more about who we are as an educational institution! After students settled into their rooms, we all gathered for worship and Bible Study, led by the President and Founder, Gregg D. Garner. This moment was special, as it allowed staff and faculty, new students and their families, returning students, and alumni to worship and come together to kick off Welcome Week 2024! This year’s move-in day concluded with a meet-and-greet time between parents and staff, as well as a set-aside time for new students and their families to spend an evening together. 

The following day was new student orientation. This began with breakfast and morning devotion and included various sessions that allowed students to become familiar with the campus, their class schedules, student life, and other essential elements that set them up for success! Orientation day concluded with an introduction to the mentorship program, allowing students to meet their mentors and share a meal! Mentors are an important part of the student experience, as it allows them to receive sound advice from Institute Alumni, whether that be spiritual, relational, or financial! Check out Spiritual Life here: https://instituteforgod.edu/spiritual-life

After move-in and orientation, all the students participated in an all-student fun day! This year, it consisted of a choice between fishing, hiking, kayaking, tubing, and hammocking on a lake. Once students enjoyed their activities, we met together for lunch and a time of fellowship. 

Not only did we get to partake in these activities, but the day concluded with a pool party, dinner, worship, and Bible Study. This is one of the most important days of Welcome Week because it allows each student to spend time with one another, have conversations, and get to know each other! These times are not only intentional but necessary! We have all chosen to learn God’s Word and serve Him together, and we must take time to know who we are doing it with!

To finish off the weekend, students went to church together and then spent a time of fellowship with their respective houses and cooked brunch! Shortly after brunch, we had a house challenge. Student housing had the option to choose between the recreation of either a TV show or a music video. These challenges are a fun way to learn one another’s personalities, skillsets, and humor! Through this experience, students get to create a new dynamic and share a great experience! Once the house challenge concluded, students were able to end the day over a meal with their new roommates, allowing them to bond and get to know each other! These are times we will never forget. You can view these videos here: https://instituteforgod.edu/blog/student-house-videos-202425.

After the weekend, students attended two days of final orientation before the school year kicked off! These times began with breakfast, prayer, and a short Bible study. Following that, we had various sessions to prepare us for the school year, as well as to be good stewards of all we are being entrusted with this year, whether that be through academics or work responsibilities. These orientation times provide the opportunity to spend time together as a student body and become equipped to begin the school year in a way that allows us to succeed! In addition to orientation, students were introduced to their ProDev(Professional Development) experiences, as this is an essential part of the Institute experience! To learn more about this program, click this link! https://instituteforgod.edu/professional-development. 

As the school year kicked off and welcome week came to an end, we attended our first chapel of the semester! This included a time of worship, led by alumni, and a message from the Word from the President! This time allowed us to worship together and prepare ourselves for the term to begin. Once chapel concluded, students shared a meal with their accountability groups, discussing our hopes and goals for this next year! Following chapel and lunch, we were introduced to our ministry projects. These are important times of service towards our community that all students participate in! Not only did we get to hear all that we would be doing, but we also heard various testimonies from students regarding the impact that these service times have! To find out more about these special times, click this link! https://instituteforgod.edu/student-volunteer-program.

  Welcome Week 2024-2025 allowed new students to become accustomed to student life and become familiar with staff, faculty, and returning students. Because of the intentionality within the schedule, students were able to create friendships and become comfortable in their new environment before the academic season began. Furthermore, they were given the opportunity to share experiences and make memories that they will not forget! They were equipped with the tools to not only succeed but to thrive as a student, as well as given a chance to become immersed into their new community. New students are seen, loved, and welcomed, and Welcome Week is one of the greatest ways for them to experience who we are, as well as get to know those they are learning God’s Word with.