Templo del Sol Welcomes New Aztecs

Freshman Rachel Chan had spent much of the day, Aug. 27, moving her belongings into Zura Hall. By sunset, the 17-year-old business major from San Jose was ready for some fun, so she joined approximately 2,500 of her new classmates for an on-campus icebreaker featuring torch-wielding stilt walkers, music, games and a huge rally designed as an official welcome for new students to SDSU.

The newest Aztecs were greeted by student leaders as they gathered near a giant stage in front of Hepner Hall. They learned the Fight Song and participated in several getting-to-know-you activities with campus ambassadors and other new students. For Chan, it was a welcome respite from her moving-in chores.

“It’s really nice meeting all these new people, but a little nerve-wracking, too,” Chan said.  “I’m pretty new to it all and there’s a lot of people here.”

A sense of pride

Among those taking the stage to address the newcomers was Aztecs head football coach Brady Hoke. He was joined by team quarterback Ryan Lindley, wide receiver Vincent Brown and tight end Alston Umuolo. All exhorted the students to shout “Fight on!” every time the football players yelled “Go Aztecs!” Hoke said he was pleased to see so many students turn out for the event.

“I want to tell them ‘Welcome to San Diego State’ and what a great experience they have coming up for their college career,” he said. “Hopefully, they’ll get a sense of pride from being an Aztec and I hope they’ll come out and support us on Saturdays.”

A highlight of the evening was when the students passed beneath the Hepner Hall archway to symbolize their welcome into the SDSU family as Aztecs for life. For several minutes, they streamed through the southeast corner of the Old Quad and strolled along the Hello Walk to the cheers, applause and high fives of current students and a couple dozen alumni who greeted them.

Meeting people and making friends

Among the alumni group was SDSU history professor and SDSU Alumni Association lifetime member John Putman (’87), who also attended the 2009 Templo Del Sol.

“This is even better than last year,” Putman said. “It’s a great way to get the students involved in their first weekend. I can’t remember anything like it when I was a student in terms of this kind of tradition and this kind of event—you just kind of showed up on the first day of school.”

Barbara Powels Bowen (’05), a member of the SDSU Alumni Association’s board of directors and a lifetime member, agreed she would have enjoyed a similar campus welcome as a new student to San Diego State.

“I think it’s exciting and wonderful and I’m so glad I came,” she said. “If I had known about this last year, I would have been here as well.”

Organized by the Office of New Student and Parent Programs, the Templo Del Sol event was sponsored by Aztec Nights, a program of SDSU Associated Students. In only its second year, the event seems to be already gaining traction as an SDSU tradition if the reactions of students like Chan are any indication.

“It’s really amazing and it kind of reminds me of a luau,” said the freshman of the fire-flinging stilt walkers and the friendly atmosphere. “I’m meeting people and making new friends and that’s kind of cool.”

To see additional photos from the Templo del Sol event, click here.