When prospective students and their families step foot on campus to explore UNT, they'll be met by friendly Eagle Ambassadors -- and much more. Now, visitors also will be greeted by UNT's new Welcome Center, a one-of-a-kind space that contains two presentation rooms, huddle rooms for advisors to meet with families, and a mock dorm room, among other amenities.
The center, which officially opened March 4, is located at the intersection of Avenue A and Eagle Drive. It is part of a $58.9 million project that includes the construction of a 500-bed residence hall named after UNT football legend "Mean" Joe Greene.
"The Welcome Center is a place where prospective students can come to be inspired and explore all that our great university has to offer in an environment that speaks to them," says Laurea Irving, director of visitor experience. "We want them to leave here with all of their questions answered."
As the home base for student tours, the center is dedicated to providing prospective or new students and their families a memorable, informative experience. The huddle rooms provide a place for advisors to offer one-on-one support, and in the mock dorm room, students can learn about the importance and logistics of residence hall life. Six computers eventually will be installed at the back of the center to help students further explore admissions and application processes.
The center boasts unique decorative elements, including a large UNT Battle Flag made from green tiles (pictured) and green, star-shaped light fixtures. But the spirit doesn't end there. The Fight Song plays as visitors approach the building, and the waiting area features comfy couches and chairs with green pillows, along with tables filled with past Aerie and Yucca yearbooks. Plus, as students wait for presentations to begin, they are introduced to UNT traditions through videos that instruct them on how to form the perfect Eagle Claw and properly celebrate a Mean Green victory.
Two cutting-edge conference rooms -- one that seats 26 and another that seats 150 -- introduce students to life at UNT. During each presentation, students and their parents are shown videos focusing on topics including campus life, research excellence, UNT's partnerships with organizations such as the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Motor Speedway, and student perspectives. Video monitors throughout the building provide information on athletics, residence hall life and other areas, and one of the monitors eventually will feature social media feeds.
