Nearly 650 first-year students leave today for Mustang Corral,SMU’s weekend orientation camp. This year’s attendanceis at an all-time high. The weekend excursion offers first-years anopportunity to meet other new students before classes start as wellas to learn about the university.

Mustang Corral began in 1990. Students go to one of three campsin Glen Rose, Texas – Glen Lake, Brazos and Riverbend. Ateach camp, the students are divided into joint home base groups andparticipate in academic and diversity sessions, team buildingactivities such as skits, an Olympics competition and social eventsincluding a square dance and the Club Corral dance party.Approximately 75 student leaders and 75 faculty and staff leaderswill coordinate the events.

Senior leaders will continue the 14-year tradition, candlelight.During the ceremony, senior leaders share meaningful moments andadvice from their years at SMU.

“It’s their time to pass on what they’velearned to the first-years,” said Casey Wetz, senior MustangCorral director.

The combination of camaraderie, academics and traditions is whatmakes Mustang Corral important for the university, said BethanyNaser, coordinator of New Student Programs and advisor to MustangCorral.

“It is probably the one program on this campus thatcaptures the essence of what SMU is,” she said.”It’s the program that allows first-year students tobecome proud of their institution and see what’s unique aboutSMU. It also allows faculty, staff and alumni to give back to theinstitution by becoming leaders.”