Students celebrate choosing Wyoming colleges

As graduation approaches, seniors at Green River High School are looking forward to taking their next steps in college, and many are staying in the state as they do so. Many Wolves recently celebrated their decision to attend Western Wyoming Community College, while others will go a little further across the state to study at the University of Wyoming.

Both Western and UW held signing days at GRHS for students to celebrate their college choice. UW's signing day took place Wednesday, May 7, with Western's taking place on week later on May 14.

"National Signing Day events originally began as a tradition for student-athletes to sign a National Letter of Intent to compete at their chosen college. Over time, the tradition has grown to include all college-bound students and not just athletes," Alicia Cole, the Associate Director of Admissions for Student Recruitment at the University of Wyoming, explained. "Usually these are called a general 'College Signing Day,' as a way to honor students who have chosen to pursue post-secondary education and celebrate academic achievements. College Signing Day events are usually held each year at high schools around May 1, which is National College Decision Day."

The University of Wyoming has been organizing "UW Signing Day" events since 2017 and typically hosts about 55–60 events each year at any Wyoming high school that requests one, according to Cole.

"We're thrilled to share that approximately 25 Green River High School students have confirmed their enrollment and said 'Yes!' to joining the UW family this fall," Cole added. "We love hosting these celebratory events every year so we can say that we are proud of them, we believe in their potential, and we are excited to welcome them into the UW community."

Western Wyoming Community College similarly hosts Signing Day events at high schools around the state, giving students an opportunity to show their commitment to attend Western.

"Western Signing Day is more than just a celebration; it's a way for our community to come together and cheer on the next generation of students ready to take the next step in their academic journey," the Western website explains.

Approximately 22 students from Green River High School showed up to celebrate Western's Signing Day, proudly holding up banners reading "We are Mustangs."