Sun Devil Welcome gives first-year students a mega dose of ASU spirit and traditions 
By Penny Walker, ASU News
August 20, 2025

Nearly 18,000 first-year students are beginning their college journey at Arizona State University this week, and on Tuesday night they got a head start on connecting with ASU at the Sun Devil Welcome.

Thousands of students in gold T-shirts crowded into Mountain America Stadium on the Tempe campus, where they sang the school fight song, learned about traditions like Echo from the Buttes (where first-year students hike "A" Mountain and paint the "A" white to symbolize a fresh slate to start the school year) and enjoyed performances from a variety of student groups, including Andaaz at ASU, a competitive bolly-fusion dance team, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

And of course, the students were also given the all-important tutorial of how to do the pitchfork gesture ("First, form a peace sign and then throw that pinkie up!").

The high-energy event featured appearances by football head coach Kenny Dillingham and women's basketball head coach Molly Miller — as well as ASU President Michael Crow and University Provost Nancy Gonzales, who each shared photos from their time as college students, to the cheers of the crowd.

"Take your ideas and interests seriously," Gonzales, an ASU alum, advised students. "Find people who believe in you, who believe in your goals and support you. Find your people, people who share your interests. A big place like ASU, there's something for everybody, so put yourself out there."

After sharing the ASU Charter, Crow said he had just one message for the crowd.

"Every one of you along the way are going to need somebody to help you — you're going to need academic help, you're going to need financial help, you're going to need emotional help along the way," he said. "If you raise your hand, the 42,000 of us who work at Arizona State University — 42,000 people, 6,000 faculty members — we exist for one thing: your success. Raise your hands, we'll help you on any front. Don't worry, don't get into frets, just raise your hand and we will help you."

During the "roll call," students screamed for their college, and then the ASU marching band, cheerleaders and Sparky took the field. Students were taught the ASU fight song, just before fireworks ended the event.

After the rally, InfernoFest — another one of ASU's signature Fall Welcome events — took place at the stadium, a free concert for all ASU students featuring Canadian rapper and songwriter bbno$. 

Both Sun Devil Welcome and the InfernoFest were livestreamed so students studying at the ASU California Center or via ASU Online could check out the fun.

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This story originally appeared on ASU News.