A record number of first-year students among those at WelcomeFest

three individual head shots - two men and one woman. One man is African American.
Seth Torres (from left), Abbigail Williams and Christopher Alaka are all new first-year students who attended WelcomeFest.

Growing up on Milwaukee’s southside, Seth Torres, new student in the College of Engineering & Computer Science, said he often felt that it was better to keep to himself. But at UWM, he has found an environment where he feels comfortable expressing his ideas.

“I feel like my voice really matters in this community,” Torres said. “I feel like I can be my authentic self and share my ideas in a safe manner.”

That sense of belonging was on full display at WelcomeFest, where students from the college gathered to meet people, connect with faculty and staff, enjoy some free food and check out the various student organizations. And there was something extra to celebrate: Torres is one of a record number of first-year students joining the college this fall.

Two black men, one wearing a florescent yellow vest, talks to each other with a table between them. Another young man stands in the background.
Members of the student chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers talk to a potential new recruit.
Two young women on the left and a man stand next to each other while they participate in a metalcasting exercise.
CEAS students try their hand at metal-casting courtesy of students members of the American Foundry Society. Here, they are pounding down black sand to make molds.
A young man with dark hair sits in the driver's seat of a Baja off-road vehicle.
A student tries out the driver’s seat of “47” the latest iteration of the Baja car built and raced by UWM chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
A group of six young Arab American students smile for the camera.
Friends and members of the student org Arab American Association of Engineers & Architects gather.
Two young men look at each other and shake hands.
WelcomeFest is great place to meet up with friends, old and new!
A young many in a blue shirt speaks, standing next to a 3D printer.
What would you make as a member of the Prototyping Club?
A young man stands behind a table and displays a large poster, while a young women, next to the table, looks are the camera.
Student members of the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers pass out information.

More than a family connection

For Torres, computer science was hardly a new interest. He took several computer science courses in high school, including Advanced Placement classes, and knew he wanted to continue studying the field in college.

UWM was also a familiar place. His mother and stepfather are UWM alumni, and his mother had always hoped he would become one of her “Panther babies.”

But family connections weren’t the only reason he chose UWM. Being close to home and the university’s affordability also played a big role.

The UWM experience

That sense of belonging is something Christopher Alaka is experiencing, too. Alaka said engineering is natural fit for him because he has always been a “hands-on person.”

UWM’s affordability was one of the reasons he chose the university, along with its rich cultural environment. But some of his favorite discoveries have been the little things that make up the college experience.

“The most surprising thing for me so far is how much free stuff there is, the diversity and the classes,” Alaka says. “The general freshman college experience is awesome.”

Jumping into undergrad research

For Abbigail Williams, the UWM experience actually began before her freshman year.

The materials science & engineering student participated in UR@UWM, an undergraduate research program, during the summer before classes started. The experience gave her an early opportunity to work on research and strengthened her interest in UWM.

The university’s R1 research designation was one of the reasons she initially chose UWM, along with the many internship opportunities available.

But like Torres, Williams says it’s the people who have made the biggest impression.

“I would say something surprising so far about freshman year would be that everyone seems so kind and welcoming; eager to help,” she says. “I love the atmosphere.”