Have You Maximized Your Name Tag “Real Estate”?
Which of these name tags would cause you to be more likely to strike up a conversation with me? It’s turtles, isn’t it? Tom told me about a time that he went to the Avis car rental office and the employee he worked with not only had his name on his name tag, but also […]
Put a Little Love in Your…Student Centers
You walk into your student center on your way to the cafeteria, and you see a student running across the lobby and jumping into the arms of another student, amidst exclamations of joy. The biggest smiles you have ever seen seem permanently stuck to their faces as they squeeze their eyes tight, and their arms […]
Community Building Through Record Breaking
On May 6th, 2015, hundreds of Stevenson University students trekked out to their football field and wrapped their sweaty arms around blue exercises balls as part of an attempt to break a Guinness World Record while also raising money for a great cause. With almost 400 participants, Stevenson broke the previous record of 353 set […]
How One College Uses Poetry and a Tree to Build Community
The legend of the Poetry Tree at Randolph College dates back to the 1960’s, its protagonist an English professor named Margaret Raynal. Every Spring, Margaret would write out the poem, ‘Loveliest of Trees’ by A.E. Housman, and hang it on a cherry blossom tree near the front of the school as an homage to both the […]
“We Care” – The Tell Me About Your Day Bracelets
At MIT, the community on campus has grieved four students lost to suicide in the past year. In the days after these tragedies, freshman Isabel “Izzy” Lloyd saw a rise in social media posts from her peers telling their networks that anyone can come talk to them if they feel depressed or need help. She […]
4 Ways Your Graduated Student Leaders Can Still Help Your Student Organization
It’s graduation season! How do I know? Because my entire social newsfeed is filled with pictures of the graduating student leaders we’ve connected with over the past four years. A challenge every student activities department faces this time of year is the reminder that their student leaders turn over every two to four years. All […]
A Blender Event from Birch Coffee Shop
The typical solo coffee shop experience involves you ordering something with a fancy name, them messing up the spelling of your name on a cup, and then finding a seat by yourself to get lost in something to read or listen to. While many people find no issue with repeating this process of isolation, others […]
Using Athletics to Find Your Niche – A Student Leader Spotlight
We are always meeting student leaders who are going the extra mile to make others feel welcome and build community culture on their campuses. We realized that one great way to learn from each other is to spotlight different students who have made an impact on the lives of their fellow students. Meet CJ Stevens, a student at Randolph […]
The Value of Campus Traditions and Student Engagement
On a foggy Thursday morning, Ricky K. of Casswell Drive stumbles out his front door with a coffee in one hand and a tiki torch in the other. Slowly, Ricky shuffles his feet towards the curb, soaking in the morning dew. Once at the curb, Ricky takes a deep breath in, while lifting his tiki […]
Including Commuters in Your Campus Community
It’s not easy to build amazing communities in your res halls and within your organizations. But it’s even harder to include students who don’t have a “home” on campus. As a commuting student in college, I understand how difficult it can be to feel a part of the campus community if you don’t work hard […]