Dear Colleagues,

With another highly successful Orientation season behind us, our focus now turns to the excitement and anticipation of the upcoming fall semester.

This fall in particular has a special energy and excitement as we welcome Dr. Caroline Attardo Genco as UB’s 16th president.

As we put the finishing touches on our plans, I wanted to highlight several campus-wide events taking place during Opening and Welcome Weekend later this month. Across Student Life, our teams are hard at work preparing to welcome students and the UB community back to campus with engaging programs and memorable experiences, including the new University Convocation. This will take place at Broadview Stadium in advance of the iconic human Interlocking UB on Friday, August 21. Be sure to visit the Fall Opening 2026 website linked below for a complete schedule of events and additional details.

Our 6th Annual Bulls Welcome Back Blast returns on Saturday, August 22, with an incredible lineup of nationally recognized performers as we light up Broadview Stadium to celebrate the start of a new academic year. I encourage you and your family to join us for what promises to be an unforgettable evening.

Bringing Opening and Welcome Weekend to life takes a tremendous amount of planning and collaboration across Student Life. As volunteer opportunities become available, I encourage you to consider lending a hand to help us create an exceptional welcome experience for our students and kick off the semester on a high note.

I’m looking forward to all that the new academic year will bring and wish each of you a successful start to the semester.

Sincerely

Brian F. Hamluk
Vice President for Student Life