Grace Vaccaro, Staff Writer
On October 28th, the Major Connection Program hosted its first monthly event: Spooky Sips and Scary Sips. From 3-5, the members were in the IRC quad, handing out safety kits and mocktails as we approached Halloween.
In the safety kits, students got mints, tea bags, hand sanitizer wipes, electrolyte and vitamin packets, and a card that informed students about standard drink sizes. The mocktails were creative and Halloween-inspired. The first, Witching Hour Punch, was cherry and cranberry juice with spicy gummy worms. The Poison Apple Mocktail was apple cider, grape juice, and apple slices. Finally, a classic Shirley Temple. Students also could decorate pumpkins to get into the Halloween spirit.
Some Major Connection Coaches shared what they thought of this event.
Ashley Hernandez, a junior and psychology major, said that she was so excited for this event to be happening. “It’s also important that our school community and population are aware of safe drinking, especially with a very festive weekend. It’s always important to stay safe, something people may forget. We hope that this event is a nice reminder for everyone to stay safe and have fun.”
Elenah Elthorp, a senior dietetics major, enjoyed being able to explain the Major Connection program to students who didn’t know about it. Students are partnered with upperclassmen who are in the same major or program, allowing them to give personal guidance and set goals throughout the semester. The only requirement for mentees in the program is to meet with the Coach once a month. It is a low-effort program with great rewards.
Jaiden Schrag, a junior exercise science major, loved being able to try all of the fun drinks and make them for other students. The drink recipes were created by other Coaches, who have spent the past month organizing and preparing for this event. She was so grateful to see how much students loved the safety kits, as they ran out within the first hour.
Sarah Wells, Coordinator of the Major Connection Coaches, loves being able to oversee and work with these amazing students. This is her first time overseeing this many students, and she says it’s “wonderful getting to know them.”
One of the goals of the Office of Student Experience is to support our sophomore students. Data shows that we often lose a lot of students between their second and third years, and sometimes even between their first and second years. We want to make sure we’re providing services that show our sophomores that they’re supported. This program is really focused on helping sophomores become more connected within their majors. The Major Connection program was born because it has been shown that peer mentoring can be much more useful than simply being paired with anyone else.
It’s a goal of the program to have an event hosted every month by Coaches. These events provide more opportunities to meet students and share different resources. Be on the lookout for future events hosted by the Major Connection Program. You never know what goodies you may find and what valuable information you may learn.
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