The Potter College of Arts and Letters hosted a welcome back event for all of its students outside of Cherry Hall Monday evening to kick off the academic year.

Some of the departments represented included the Department of Modern Languages, the Department of Art and Design, the Department of English, the Department of Theatre & Dance and the School of Media. In addition, the first 350 students to arrive at the event received a free snow cone from the Kona Ice truck. 

Students shared why they ultimately chose to be a part of PCAL.

“I chose PCAL because of the arts. The arts are everything I love,” Caroline Norsworthy, a freshman musical theater major, said. “Not to mention, PCAL encourages you to get involved in your major but also other departments as well.”

Faculty and staff also voiced their excitement for the upcoming semester and the college at large. 

“I think one of the best things about PCAL is the sheer variety of interests and at the same time how there are all of these fantastic connections we make between them,” Alison Langdon, an English professor, said. “So we are asking a lot of the same questions but we are approaching them from different angles and that reveals new layers and new horizons.”

Students are already looking forward to contributing to PCAL as well as the community around them.

“I want to contribute to PCAL by offering up my arts and talents to tell diverse stories of not only PCAL, not only Western, but the world,” Kalea Alexander, a freshman film major, said.

Staff reporter Bailey Reed can be reached at [email protected].