A University of West Georgia alumnus who stars in a YouTube Red series said he can trace all of the opportunities he’s been afforded since he graduated in 2015 right back to UWG.

“I wouldn’t have achieved any of the accomplishments I’ve made without the faculty I met and experiences I had at West Georgia,” said Eric Graise, star of “Step Up: High Water,” during last Sunday’s fall Preview Day at UWG. “This university has the potential to empower all its students to do anything they want to do with their lives. When you graduate from UWG, there’s no excuse for not having shaped yourself into a well-rounded individual ready to take over the world.”

UWG hosted nearly 350 prospective students during fall Preview Day, which serves as an open house to show interested parties the unique opportunities offered at the university.

Evan Jaynes, associate director of admissions for campus visits and communications, said Preview Days are “much more than an open house.”

“We are truly sharing our story with prospective students and the guests they bring to campus,” Jaynes said. “Our hope is that students came to our Preview Day last weekend with an idea of the story they’ll write while they’re studying here. We’re all about providing opportunities and getting students involved in all levels of campus life, from the lecture hall to the dining hall.”

Attendees – including 346 prospective students and 725 of their friends and family members – received the chance to see the UWG campus “on their own terms,” Jaynes said, meeting professors and visiting residence halls on student-led tours.

Students are given the option to tailor their Preview Day experience by choosing a track that will cater to their interests and needs. For instance, a track is designed for prospective transfer students, those who have a Hispanic background or those who have an interest in the arts.

During the opening session, attendees heard from Graise, UWG Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Dr. Scot Lingrell and UWG Director of Admissions Justin Barlow. Afterward, prospective students and their families followed the UWG Marching Band “up the hill” from the Coliseum to the center of UWG’s campus in Carrollton, where they were free to explore for several hours.

“We hope everyone who joins us at a Preview Day event leaves feeling equipped to make a decision on whether UWG is the right place for them,” Lingrell said. “Telling them about our record enrollment, record degrees conferred and how many awards we’ve won can go a long way, but it won’t truly resonate with them until they visit UWG and see our beautiful campus and everything offer.”

Barlow said attendees could use their time on campus to find the resources and aspects of college life that will make attending UWG a “transformative experience” in their lives.

“More than 1.9 million people graduated with a four-year college degree last year,” Barlow said. “What makes them stand out in interviews for jobs or graduate school is having a good story to share. At UWG, we make sure all our students walk away with a good experience and story to tell. At Preview Day, we show them how they’ll fit in our family.”

Graise left prospective students and their loved ones with a final thought, saying if they chose to attend UWG, they would graduate with what he described as an “abundance of confidence” in themselves.

“UWG will provide you with the skills you need, but you’ll have to work to make them your own,” Graise said. “This is where my path started. It can be where yours starts, too.”

Preview Day events are held three times each year at UWG – in the winter, spring and fall. Next year’s winter Preview Day will be held Sunday, Jan. 27, and spring Preview Day will be held Sunday, April 28.