Redemption is possible for the class of 2024.
Due to the impact of COVID-19 and the tight restrictions that came with it, the class of 2024 didn’t get the chance of experiencing college as freshmen. The opportunity of getting that same experience is now happening.
Graduate assistant for student transitions, Natasha Golden, created a sophomore program at the beginning of the semester. This is to ensure an opportunity for the sophomore class to get involved in a variety of activities around campus and to connect them with other students.
“I think they really do realize how different their freshmen year was from past years. I can’t even imagine going through what the freshman class had to do last year,” Golden said.
Previous events that Golden has hosted for the sophomore class this semester includes smoothies for sophomores, support volleyball night and the board and brush event. Each event was aimed to bring sophomores out to events around campus, exploring some of the buildings, receiving free shirts, goodies and more.
Golden said how excited she is for the upcoming events for the semester, including the sophomore leadership mixer on Sept. 30 in Doc Bryan 242 at noon.
“We’re super excited about [it]. We’ve reached out to a bunch of sophomore leaders on campus and they’re going to come and have conversations with other sophomore students who maybe don’t know how to get involved or don’t really know what’s being offered,” Golden said.
Sophomore Sheena Slate from Siloam Springs, and agriculture business major, said she has some ideas about how to attract more sophomores to events.
“They should have more giveaways. Everyone likes giveaways. More Tech activities like building Jerry’s, everyone likes that. Just more hands-on stuff,” Slate said.
Although Slate didn’t attend many events her freshman year, she wants to attend more events this year.
“I feel like there’s more events this year… they have a little more freedom then they did last year.”
With the approval to hold more events for the semester, Golden said she has high hopes for what is in store for the semester.
“Just offering them the chance to have that space has been huge and I think that’s been beneficial for the sophomores. That’s my biggest takeaway,” Golden said.
