When freshman Alexander Holsinger participated in his first BGSU Band Day in high school, he knew he had found the university he was looking for.

“I never thought I’d be going here,” he said. “[Band Day] really made me wish I could go here.”

Holsinger was only one of roughly 3,000 students at the Doyt on Friday for the University’s yearly freshman welcome event.

University President Mary Ellen Mazey described the event as a way to signify the beginning of college life and a way to usher the freshmen into the University family.

“It’s like a new beginning,” Mazey said. “It’s a way to make them feel at home at BGSU.”

An emphasis on the importance of getting involved, both academically and otherwise, dominated the night.

“I WILL go to class,” Mazey said during her speech, before making her freshman audience repeat her.

Other speakers included Undergraduate Student Government President Brian Kochheiser, University head football coach Dino Babers and Mayor of Bowling Green Richard Edwards.

Babers turned out to be a crowd pleaser, leading the crowd in chants and encouraging student attendance of football games.

Nicole Neely, vice president of USG, said the event is a good opportunity to promote University sports.

“I think this is one of the best things we do to get people excited about athletics and to get the message across that they’re getting involved,” she said.

Mazey said despite the relatively small size of the class of 2018, they are the most academically well-prepared in the school’s history, with an average GPA of 3.33 and an average ACT score of 22.72.

Also present were University mascots Freddie and Frieda Falcon, as well as the University spirit crew SIC SIC.

As the Falcon Marching Band played their repertoire, the freshman class slowly filed into the stadium. The band had one absence that stuck out to one freshman in particular.

A member of marching band in high school, Holsinger was only able to watch the Falcon Marching Band march across the field on Friday due to time conflicts this semester.

But that doesn’t mean they’re any less part of his freshman story.

“It’s what introduced me to BG and showed me how much opportunity it could give,” Holsinger said.

Kochheiser, in his speech, emphasized this sense of opportunity with his own experience.

“Who knows,” he said. “You could even become [student-body] president one day.”