A record-breaking number of students are living on Davenport University’s W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids campus this year, looking forward to making new friends and having new experiences. Davenport Student Life staff works to make it easy for new and returning students to make connections during two special Welcome Week events: Panther Prowl and Pantherpalooza. 

These events are important so students feel they belong at Davenport. 

Panther Prowl

Panther Prowl is an annual five-day transition program for first-year students. It is held the week before the first day of classes and is designed to help acclimate first-year students to life on campus and to help them build friendships that will last a lifetime.

 This program helps students feel at home by making connections and memories while participating in fun activities, like a carnival, bonfire, Prowl Olympics, tubing and a downtown scavenger hunt.

Natalie Wagner, Director of Student Life, said it was great to see such strong participation at this year’s Panther Prowl.

“Our amazing Pack Leaders did a wonderful job engaging with our incoming students and helped them make meaningful connections with other students on campus,” said Wagner.

Pantherpalooza

Pantherpalooza is an opportunity for both new and returning students to take part in games, a blood drive and voter registration This annual event is held the first Friday of every fall semester and is an excellent way for all students to feel connected and gain valuable information about life at Davenport..

This is a free event where students can learn about helpful resources at the unviersity, the different student organizations they can join, and other ways they can get involved on campus and in the community.