Celebrating Connection and Community During COE Welcome Week
New students, new colleagues, familiar faces, and a new dean came together as the NAU College of Education opened the academic year by celebrating the relationships that make the COE community strong.
A new academic year brings plenty of change: new classes, new students, new colleagues, and new opportunities. But at the Northern Arizona University College of Education, the beginning of the year is also about something that remains constant: the importance of connection and community.
During COE Welcome Week, students, faculty, staff, retirees, and college leaders came together through a series of events designed not simply to mark the beginning of another academic year, but to build the relationships that support learning, collaboration, and student success throughout the year.
Welcoming new members to COE
Welcome Week began by introducing new faculty and staff to the College of Education and the people and resources that will support their work.
For new colleagues, joining a university can mean learning new systems, roles, and expectations. The welcome provided an opportunity to begin instead with people—meeting college leadership and support staff, asking questions, and building connections across COE.
Those relationships continued to grow at the annual COE Welcome Back Picnic, where faculty and staff reconnected after the summer and welcomed new colleagues into the community. Retired faculty and staff also joined the celebration, providing a connection between the people shaping the College today and those who have contributed to its history.
Together, the events created opportunities for both new and returning members of COE to begin the year by strengthening relationships across departments and roles.
Beginning a new chapter together
The annual College Assembly shifted the focus from reconnecting to looking ahead.
Faculty and staff gathered to hear updates, consider priorities for the coming year, and reflect on the collective impact of the College’s teaching, research, service, and community engagement.
This year’s assembly also marked an important moment for COE. For many faculty and staff, it was their first opportunity to meet the College’s new dean, Dr. Yojanna Cuenca-Carlino, and hear her vision for the future of the College of Education.
As COE begins this new chapter, the assembly provided an opportunity to consider not only the work ahead, but the shared commitments that connect that work: supporting student success, embracing innovation, strengthening community partnerships, and preparing educational professionals who can make a difference in the communities they serve.
Helping students find their place
Welcome Week concluded by turning its attention to the people at the heart of the College’s work—our students.
At the College Welcome Reception, faculty, staff, and college leaders welcomed new and transfer students to COE. Students could ask questions, learn about resources, meet members of the college community, and begin building connections that extend beyond their individual classrooms and programs.
For students beginning at a new university—or finding their way within a new college—those early connections matter. Knowing where to ask a question, recognizing a faculty or staff member, or meeting another student can be a small interaction that helps a large university begin to feel like a community.
The reception therefore represented more than the conclusion of Welcome Week. It was the beginning of relationships that we hope will continue throughout students’ time at NAU.
Looking forward to the year ahead
Welcome Week offered a fitting start to a new academic year and a reminder that the College of Education is ultimately a community built around people.
Throughout the coming year, our students will learn in classrooms and communities. Faculty will teach, conduct research, and explore new ideas. Staff will help students navigate their educational journeys. Alumni and community partners will extend the reach of our work throughout Arizona and beyond.
Behind all of that work are relationships.
As we begin the year, we look forward to sharing more of those stories; the people, partnerships, discoveries, experiences, and accomplishments that demonstrate what it means to be part of the NAU College of Education.
Welcome to a new year at COE. We’re glad you’re here.