Semester Kicks Off with Fall Fest Welcome Back BBQ
By Katie Holgerson | Assistant Editor
On Wednesday, September 13th, MWCC held the annual Welcome Back Fall Fest. Students gathered at the Gardner campus to meet their peers, pick up a free meal from the Green Street Cafe, explore student organizations, and enjoy live performers and other fun activities. This fair was organized by Student Life–including Kathleen Matson, who stated she helped spearhead the event “so students have an opportunity to check out the different student orgs.” Matson went on to describe some of the different festivities happening in the Student Center–including a performer, novelties, sequin pillows, sand art, henna tattoos, and face paintings. “We were supposed to have alpacas and reptiles for petting,” she stated, “but we canceled those because of the rain. But they’re coming next week instead so we can be outside.”
Despite the bad weather, organizers were pleased to be able to host this year’s fair in person. Due to COVID-19, previous years’ events had been moved to an online setting. According to Matson, “That didn’t go very well. It’s very similar in the sense that we pretty much do the same type of thing, where we have some entertainment, some novelties, and the expo.” Now that pandemic regulations have subsided, the college can bring its functions back to campus and focus on re-establishing aspects of student life that were lost to the virus.
Students who missed the student organization expo at Wednesday’s fair can look forward to another one being held in October–a first for MWCC, and a great opportunity for students to grow and engage with their education. Studies have shown that community college students who participate in a freshman orientation program tend to hold greater retention rates, complete their degrees, and earn overall higher grades than individuals who did not participate in orientation.”
The fair is an excellent place for incoming students to get acquainted with their peers as well. There are many students that are starting their college career for the first time after high school, and it can be very overwhelming to be in a brand new environment, surrounded by people they’ve never met before. As Matson stated, “It’s a great way for them to figure out how to get involved on campus. I think a lot of students come to college and think, ‘oh I’m just going to go to college, do my class, and go home.’ But there’s really a whole lot more to being a college student. We try to create a very vibrant student life”.
Jessica Freeman, a nursing major at MWCC, attended the fair and explained, “At first I was nervous when I showed up to the fair, since I don’t know that many people here. But once I got food and started to check out the clubs, I felt more relaxed and got to meet a lot of really cool people”.
Student Life recognizes that socialization at a community college may be more difficult for some students since they are not living on campus and do not have as many opportunities to interact with their peers. Speaking for the department, Matson stated, “Being a completely commuter campus, we try to replicate that. But obviously during the day, more than at night…But it really helps students get connected to the school, especially if you’re struggling. It’s a great opportunity for them to find the different opportunities we’ve got.”
Ultimately, the Student Fair turned out to be full of vibrant students getting involved with student organizations, enjoying food and performances, and getting to know their fellow Mountain Lions.
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