Rochester Christian University kicks off school year with Warrior Week

By Eli Hullinger

The first week of school was a success for students at Rochester Christian University as they gathered together for Warrior Week; it’s an annual weeklong back-to-school celebration that gives students the opportunity to connect after summer break. 

RCU’s annual Warrior Week took place from Aug. 28 to Sept. 3 for the 2026 Fall Semester. 

On Saturday morning, the week kicked off with a move-in day with Warrior Kickback taking place that evening. The Warrior Kickback entails a series of challenges that are designed to unite incoming freshmen with their upperclassmen. The challenges included a giant inflatable velcro dartboard and fuzzy soccer balls, a three-point shot basketball challenge and a fowling competition. The freshmen went on to win the second annual Kickback Cup. 

The Commission took place on Sunday evening, which is a Christian worship concert featuring well-known and local artists:

• RUVA, a mass communication sophomore at RCU

• Trey Simon, a Detroit-based worship artist 

• Lo Cloud, a band composed of former members of Sanctus Real

• Living Again, a California-based Christian indie band 

Next was Rock the Block on Monday morning, where student organizations alongside vendors from around the community lined the main stretch of campus. Students also got to enjoy a rock wall, a free Chick-Fil-A meal and ice cream. 

From Rihanna to the Frozen (2013) soundtrack, students from all grades showed up for a Monday Karaoke night and sang their hearts out. Lexi Kosarev, a mass communications sophomore, said, “It was a fantastic time, getting to see everyone’s music taste and meeting new students.”

Warrior Week continued with a kickball tournament on Tuesday evening, where students competed in four teams for a grand prize of $200. Wednesday saw Trivia Night, which also had a prize for the winning team out of 16. 

Young Life, a new faith-based club on campus, hosted a kickball tournament on Tuesday evening where students competed in four teams for a $200 grand prize. Aside from the tournament, Young Life aims to foster a community of spiritual growth alongside bringing in a variety of activities for RCU students. Wednesday saw another event with a prize- Trivia Night. For Trivia Night, teams of 16 competed against each other.

Warrior Week concluded with a foam party, featuring a slip and slide and inner tubes to glide into a giant pile of foam. 

Altogether, Warrior Week is a cherished tradition because it helps reunite old students while integrating the freshmen into campus life.