University prepares for Preview Day

Mane Event Preview Day will bring hundreds of potential new students to the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce on Oct. 15.

Held twice a year to attract new prospects to be accepted as students of the University, the Mane Event is a Saturday in which new potential students tour the campus to learn what the school has to offer them and find reasons that may ultimately convince to attend A&M-Commerce.

The day will see several events happening throughout the day that Dean of Enrollment Management and Retention Stephanie Holley, one of the main organizers of Man Event, hopes will compel prospects to pursue their continued education in Commerce.

"It begins with a welcome after they've registered and then we feed them a little breakfast and welcome them to the campus," Holley said. "Then we've got some general information sessions going on along the lines of admissions, financial aid and scholarships, the University College, and then residential living and learning so they have an opportunity to come in and out of those during the morning."

Holley hopes to start the day by giving general information to the public while they are acclimating after their arrival, allowing them to go about the day well informed of the more important items of information.

"After those are done we have lunch, we do an information fair, we have a Hispanic outreach program as well," Holley said. "We have an Honors College presentation for students that are interested in that, and then after the information fair, we wrap up and have scholarship drawings at the end of the day."

According to Holley, one of the major differences regarding this semester's Mane Event will be that radio station KISS 106.1 will at the event through the lunch period.

"KISS 106.1 will be coming with a DJ," Holley said "They'll be DJing for us through that 11:30 to 1:30 lunch time."

In addition to the information sessions and campus tours, there will also be Hayride tours of the campus offered throughout the day.

Holley said the expected attendance of the event is approximately 1000. Director of Undergraduate Admissions Jody Todhunter has played a vital role in bringing in the expected number of prostpects.

"My office has given out the information to the prospective students of various high schools and community colleges," Todhunter said. "The students are coming from the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the Hunt county area, and other areas that we've spread the information to counselors, parents and students."

Holley and Todhunter are both excited for the event,

"It's an opportunity for students to open up and see their peers on campus," Todhunter said. "It's an opportunity to put our best foot forward and experience the best of TAMU-Commerce."