As the 2026 spring semester comes to a close, preparations are already underway for one of the most anticipated traditions to welcome new students to campus.
Earn Your Wings, an orientation experience for incoming freshmen and transfer students, is set to occur the week of Aug. 15 with a fun week of events. This year’s program is led by directors Addie Neal, Brody White, and Jeremiah Lorance.
Although the directors have chosen to keep the overall theme a secret for now, Neal revealed she presented the idea early on.
“It is actually a theme I created to present when interviewing for the director position. Once I was chosen, the co-directors and I were going over possible theme ideas, and it happened to be our favorite,” Neal said.
This year’s theme will bring a different atmosphere to the week.
“This year’s Earn Your Wings will be new as the theme is more whimsical than in past years,” Neal said. “Our director team is excited about the theme because it poses a different take on what Earn Your Wings events will look like throughout the week due to its originality and uniqueness.”
For Lorance, his positive previous involvement with Earn Your Wings led to the opportunity to serve as one of the directors.
“I wanted to apply for the Earn Your Wings director position because I was an AD last year and I really enjoyed it and I wanted to become a head leader for it and just be able to be more involved with campus,” Lorance said.
His experience, he said, helped shape both his leadership and personal growth.
“My sophomore year I was a hub parent and then my junior year I was an AD and I was in charge of the Hub Olympics,” Lorance said. “I was able to get the experience of being on both sides of Earn Your Wings and it really helped me get out of my shell.”
Similarly, White said he wanted to apply to be an Earn Your Wings director to help encourage and build a welcoming environment like one he experienced his freshman year.
“I come from out of state and Earn Your Wings is something that really comforted me in a time where I did not know people and felt far from home,” White said. “So I wanted to be someone who could help plan this event at its core.”
More than just the scheduled activities, Earn Your Wings is a great way to spend time building connections and relationships.
“My favorite part of Earn Your Wings is random hangout time with newly made friends,” White said.
In addition to the social opportunities, the directors emphasize the personal growth students can gain by getting involved and trying something new.
“One piece of advice I would give to the incoming freshmen is to just say yes,” Neal said. “There are going to be so many opportunities this week of Earn Your Wings alone and in the next four years of college to make lots of great friends and memories. Being able to say yes even if it is outside of your comfort zone will take you far!”
“Incoming freshmen can look forward to having a really fun week but also a very informative week before they start their classes. We will equip freshmen with campus knowledge and just overall first time college know about,” Lorance said. “But also getting to know your fellow freshmen and building those connections and having a giant group of friends and possible friends for life.”
All three directors hope the week’s program and welcoming environment will leave a meaningful lasting impression on incoming students.
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