Explore UAB

Student Experience

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Blazer Welcome Bash | Aug. 24, 6-11 p.m. | UAB Hill Student Center (HSC)

Don’t miss the Hill Student Center’s premier kick-off event! Featuring food, fun and interactive entertainment, Blazer Welcome Bash is designed to connect students to the HSC – UAB’s official hub for all things student life and activity. Each floor within the facility will feature themed activities that center around “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.” And by the end of the celebration, every Blazer should be equipped with the boost they need for a dynamic school year! For details and disability accommodations, contact getinvolved@uab.edu.

Special Features: Free Food | Music | Games | Karaoke | Occurs alongside WelcomeCon, hosted by GG UAB – e-sports initiative for UAB’s gaming community


Party Smarter Week | Aug. 26-30

Party smarter, not harder! UAB‘s Wellness Promotion department will educate students on how to do just that during Party Smarter Week! Research shows that the first six weeks of college are the high risk "red zone," especially for incoming freshmen. This is a time where students engage in higher risk behaviors such as binge drinking and drug use. There are also more incidents of sexual assault. Party Smarter Week will intervene during the first week of school and educate students on alternative ways to enjoy the college experience! For more info and disability accommodations, contact wellnesspro@uab.edu.

Special Features: Recstravaganza | Rock Out the Red Zone | Free food | Training sessions


Connect Fest | Aug. 27, 7-9:30 p.m. | UAB Campus Green

Immediately following Convocation, march on over to Student Involvement & Leadership’s inaugural Connect Fest for free food, games, live music, and a chance to explore an array of opportunities to get involved at UAB! Formerly known as Student Involvement Fair, this fun-filled event will provide students a chance to expand their network, explore interests and interact with more than 70 registered student organizations and university departments from across campus. For details and disability accommodations, contact getinvolved@uab.edu.

Special Features: Desserts by Magic City Eats | Snow Cones | Live DJ by BlazeRadio | Games, Activities & Caricatures | Occurs alongside Diningopoly


Diningopoly | Aug. 27, 7-9 p.m. | UAB Campus Green

Monopoly lovers, gather round! Don’t miss out on your chance to “pass go” and collect $200 in Dining Dollars at this year’s Diningopoly event! Students will get the opportunity to collect stamps at various "properties" on their Diningopoly game boards for a chance to win a prize from our Community Chest. UAB Dining will also introduce students to various dining-related interest tables which will provide them with resources and food options available to students. For more info and disability accommodations, contact .

Special Features: Music | Games | Occurs alongside Connect Fest


UAB First Year Convocation | Aug. 27, 6:30 p.m. | Bartow Arena

(participating students arrive/enter the North Entrance of Bartow by 6 p.m.)

The First Year Convocation is a formal academic event to welcome new undergraduate Blazers to the UAB community, including first year freshmen and new transfer students. The UAB President, Provost, faculty, staff, alumni and current students will gather to welcome you and “pass along the torch” of membership to UAB with all of the associated rights and responsibilities. A welcome reception and picnic will immediately follow the Convocation to celebrate all new UAB students at the Campus Green. If you’re a first-year freshman or transfer student, keep your eyes out for information regarding how to get your free special edition Class of 2023 T-shirt!

Special Features: Free Food | Swag


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Recstravaganza | Aug. 28, 5-7 p.m. | University Recreation Center & Campus Green

Recstravaganza is back again this year and it promises to be the biggest one yet! The University Recreation Center will kick off the semester with this fitness-focused event that promises to engage all who attend! There will be live music, food, prizes, fitness challenges, and so much more!

An exciting new addition to Recstravaganza this year is UAB Wellness Promotion’s awesome event, Rock Out the Red Zone! This event will also empower students by highlighting the many ways they can party smarter and practice safe decision-making skills while embarking on the new school year! For more info and disability accommodations, contact wellnesspro@uab.edu.

Special Features: Rock Out the Red Zone | Food| Music | Group activities | Football challenge 


Rock Out the Red Zone at Recstravaganza | Aug. 28 | 5-7 p.m.

UAB’s outdoor rock party with a purpose is back! Rock Out the Red Zone at Recstravaganza will take over the Campus Green with live music, food trucks, and information booths, all while teaching students how to Rock Out the Red Zone!

While this event will provide plenty of fun, it will also work toward providing awareness around prevention and the reduction of binge drinking and drug use among students. Research shows that the first six weeks of college are the high risk “red zone.” UAB’s Wellness Promotion department created this event to combat that while teaching students how to have fun without engaging in those higher risk behaviors.

So, bring a blanket, chair, or towel and jam out to Ice Station Zebra while you Rock Out the Red Zone! For more info and disability accommodations, contact wellnesspro@uab.edu.

Special Features: Free T-shirts | Prizes | Ice Station Zebra | Food | Informational booths


Social Justice Mixer | Aug. 28, 5-7 p.m. | Hill Student Center, 1st Floor Dining Area

What does identity and culture mean to you? How will social justice mold your experience at UAB (and future as a whole)? Begin to explore these questions at the Social Justice Mixer 2019, and have a little fun while you’re at it. This annual event provides students a chance to learn about identity, culture and social justice-based student organizations and programs at UAB. Come out and network, reach across cultures, build relationships, and discover the identity-based organizations available to Blazers. For more info and disability accommodations, contact smdp@uab.edu.

Special Features: Free Food | Games | Music


On-Campus Job Fair | Aug. 29, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Hill Student Center Ballrooms

Looking for work opportunities on UAB’s campus? There will be plenty to go around at UAB Career Service’s On-Campus Job Fair! In its inaugural year, this event convenes some of UAB’s most promising on-campus employers in one place, at one time, just for students (of all majors). From work study positions, student assistant roles, internships and so much more, the On-Campus Job Fair provides Blazers a chance to present themselves professionally, showcase communication skills and network in-person with potential employers!

Be sure to check out Handshake as you research participating employers. (Handshake is the UAB Career Center’s new, fast and powerful recruiting platform for UAB students, alumni and employers). For disability accommodations, assistance with interview prep and other career-related opportunities, contact UAB Career Services at (205) 934-4324, or visit their temporary office space in Campbell Hall, 1st Floor.

Special Pre-Event Features: Free Professional Attire Rental (via the UAB Career Closet) | 30-Second Elevator Pitch Preparation | Resume Review


Taste of UAB | Aug. 30, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | HSC Amphitheater

Get a first-hand glimpse of what the Magic City has to offer at Taste of UAB!
Featuring more than 30 vendors representing city attractions, food trucks, and some of the most dynamic and helpful services UAB has to offer, this outdoor festival offers Blazers who are new to the city or unfamiliar with the surrounding campus community a chance to see, taste and feel the real Birmingham. Local entertainment will also be available via BlazeRadio and live performances on the UAB Amphitheatre stage. For more information and disability accommodations, contact hsc@uab.edu.

Special Features: Food Trucks | Live Music | First 500 attendees receive souvenir bags


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