Salve Regina students gathered together to participate in crafts and a macaroni and cheese bar.
With this assignment, I learned how to gather information from others through interviews. I had to step outside of my comfort zone and go up to people and ask if they wouldn’t mind being recorded. In my writing I was able to gather the who, what, where, when, why, how and where of the event. I learned how to use a hard news lead effectively so that people will want to read my piece. I also made use of the inverted pyramid style.
Have you ever participated in a school event that had both macaroni and cheese and stress balls?
Salve Regina students gathered at Gerety Hall to make DIY stress-relieving balls and eat macaroni and cheese on Monday.
Organized by Salve Campus Activities Board (CAB), the weekly DIY night event drew about 25 students and CAB members together to take a break from studying and enjoy some hot food. In one room, students got creative with glue and balloons to make their own stress relieving toys. They chatted casually amongst themselves and laughed as their hands got sticky from the glue. Across the hall, the macaroni and cheese bar was a huge hit, with many toppings to choose from. The goal of the event was to get students involved in campus activities, and, with midterms coming up, help them relieve their academic stress. Tatiana Solamendez, a Salve student said “to get students to like come here more and get them like involved outside of the classroom.”
Different CAB-sponsored events happen every week in Gerety Hall. Dates and times are posted around campus and on social media. “We post flyers just about everywhere,” said Pape Momar Male, one of the senior CAB leaders. Past events have included wing and trivia night, game night, and karaoke night. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, CAB is offering Irish step dancing and a shamrock giveaway on March 12.
Depending on the event, CAB members expected anywhere from 10-70 students to attend. “Roughly probably like 40 or 50 just cause of the mac and cheese bar,” said Male. Male, explained that success of the event is measured through attendance and student/attendee satisfaction. Michala Cartier, an attendee, said that throughout her time at Salve she has attended over 25 events, in Gerety Hall alone. She explained that when it comes to attendance “it does usually depend, some events are a lot of like in and out so it’s hard to tell and some events are more like you sit here.” Cartier said her favorite event is trivia night and she goes to have fun.
Male and Solamendez, two of the event staff, explained that their budget comes from the student activities fee that is included in tuition and that the Office of Student Engagement manages that budget. Without this money it would be hard to bring students together or offer hot late night food options.
“I like events, I like participating in school, and I am associated with CAB” said Cartier.
Word Count: 413
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