For Harmony’s Class of 2026, the first week of college comes with plenty of firsts. A new campus. New classes. New routines. And for many students, the challenge of finding their place in an unfamiliar environment.

At The University of Texas at Arlington, that transition began with a familiar face.

Harmony alumni gathered on campus for the first Welcome Bash of the semester, reconnecting with former classmates and meeting other Harmony graduates who are beginning their own college journeys. The event marked the start of a week of gatherings designed to remind the newest members of Harmony’s alumni community that, even as they begin a new chapter, they are not doing it alone.

Throughout the week, Harmony Alumni College Coaches, College Leaders and Success Coaches will welcome members of the Class of 2026 on college campuses across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Tarleton State University and Baylor University. The events are designed to help students ease the transition from high school to college while building connections with fellow Harmony alumni who understand where they have been and where they hope to go.

Harmony College Counselors are also joining the events, helping connect recent graduates with the alumni support network available on their campuses.

The University of Texas at Arlington event served as the kickoff for this year’s Welcome Bash series. Students were joined by Dr. Kara Hadley-Shakya, associate vice president of admissions at UTA, and Gayonne Beavers, director of admissions, who welcomed Harmony’s newest college students to campus.

For students beginning college, the transition can bring excitement alongside uncertainty. A familiar conversation, a former classmate or the opportunity to meet another Harmony graduate can make a large university campus feel a little smaller.

That sense of connection is at the heart of Harmony’s Alumni College Coaching program. The support does not end at graduation. As students move from Harmony classrooms to college campuses, they remain connected to a community of alumni, coaches and mentors who can help them navigate the next stage of their education.

The UTA Welcome Bash was only the beginning.

Harmony alumni teams will continue their first-week visits throughout the week, gathering students across seven college campuses in the DFW area. Each event offers the Class of 2026 an opportunity to reconnect, meet new peers and begin building a support system for the years ahead.

College may be a new chapter, but for Harmony’s newest alumni, it begins with a reminder of something they already know: they have a community behind them and fellow Harmony graduates beside them.