Beginning the First Chapter of Campus Life: NCKU Freshmen Experience the 2025 Freshmen Camp
Written by Hsu Tsu-Yueh. Image credit to NCKU News Center.
The 15th annual Freshman Camp at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) kicked off on September 3 at Chung-Cheng Hall on the Kuang-Fu Campus, welcoming over 3,300 new students. NCKU President Meng-Ru Shen, along with university officials, welcomed the freshmen and encouraged students to enjoy their campus life. The nervousness and feelings of uncertainty in the freshmen’s eyes now will turn into bright hope for the future in the graduates’ eyes.
The 15th annual Freshman Camp at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) kicked off on September 3 at Chung-Cheng Hall on the Kuang-Fu Campus.
The 2025 academic year, with the new semester beginning on Monday, September 8, welcomes 3200 new students. The Freshman Camp, designed specifically for new students, runs for three days and features a series of creative, informative, and entertaining events. Talks, exhibitions, large-scale interactive challenges, and a lively campus fair and evening gala are led by enthusiastic senior students eager to guide freshmen into their university journey. A highlight this year is the brand-new “Freshman Experience Mission”, where the freshmen can complete fun tasks to earn rewards. The mission encourages students to start exploring career paths early, while stepping into a welcoming campus for the first chapter of university life.
The Freshman Camp, explicitly designed for new students, runs for three days and features a series of creative, informative, and entertaining events.
Following last year’s surge in freshman participation, this year’s event once again drew an impressive crowd. At the opening ceremony on the morning of September 3, Chung-Cheng Hall was filled with over 2,500 faculty members, staff, and students, including university executives, deans of each college, and the organizing team, to welcome the new semester with fresh hopes. Beyond the warm greetings from faculty, the program also featured a special “Student Affairs Time”, where the freshmen were introduced to the services of different administrative units and shown NCKU’s caring and supportive spirit.
President Shen expressed special thanks to the student team behind the Freshman Camp for their dedication and offered key reminders for the freshmen.
In his opening remarks, President Shen expressed special thanks to the student team behind the Freshman Camp for their dedication to organize such a meaningful event. He then offered key reminders for the freshmen, encouraging them to take root, learn, and grow strong at NCKU. Looking ahead, he hopes that they, too, will come to carry with them three defining qualities of a true NCKU-er: teamwork, empathy, and resilience, using these strengths to make lasting contributions to society.
President Shen shared two key reminders for this year’s freshmen: enjoy learning and campus life to the fullest, and don’t be afraid to seek help. He urged students to utilize NCKU’s abundant learning resources to deepen their professional knowledge and embrace interdisciplinary learning to build strong skills. At the same time, he emphasized the importance of life education and aesthetic education in cultivating soft skills. For many first-year students, this is their first time living away from home and learning independence. President Shen encouraged them to make new friends and to ask for help if they are feeling down. “There is no challenge in life that cannot be overcome,” he reminded them, assuring that faculty and staff are always ready to support students, so no one needs to struggle alone. Closing on a heartfelt note, he said, “As president, I hope to see you running across campus, not just to class, but also to meet more friends.” Stressing that good health is the foundation of a sustainable life, he also encouraged students to stay active and participate in sports.
The Freshman Experience Mission offers practical activities and plenty of rewards for the participants.
Building on last year’s well-received “Office of the First-Year Student”, NCKU has launched a brand-new “Freshman Experience Mission” for the freshmen beginning their university life in the 2025 academic year. Through personality and career-interest assessments, along with activities like the club fair, library tours, undergraduate research, and financial literacy workshops, the program helps freshmen explore themselves while getting to know the campus in diverse ways.
The Freshman Experience Mission runs from September 1 to October 20, offering practical activities and plenty of rewards on a first-come, first-served basis. And it’s not just for freshmen; upperclassmen are also welcome to join in the fun.
NCKU’s welcome-week lineup is packed with highlights, including a cultural-creative market, campus fair, freshman gala, and joint performances by student clubs. The Office of Research and Development is also hosting “UR Undergraduate Research” tours of featured labs across campuses. In the second week, activities continue with library tours and career exploration workshops.
From September 16–17, the NCKU Club Festival will take place in front of the Student Activity Center on the Kuang-Fu Campus. Check out the official list for all participating clubs on the NCKU Club Festival Facebook page.
Provider:
NCKU News Center
Date:
2025-09-16
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