A series of events this fall are helping sophomores with their transition into campus life after not having a traditional freshmen year.

Knowing that now second-year students have navigated a lot of challenges, the college organized some community events for sophomores to take part in. One of the first events was the S’mores with Sophomores, on Sept. 16, where sophomores could join their peers and connect with members of the sponsoring Dean of Students Office and Campus Recreation at the fire pit west of Walker Health Center. Students that attended had s’mores by the fire, participated in lawn games and were entered in a drawing for two $50 Amazon gift cards.

The Sophomore Service Days initiative have provided opportunities for community support while getting out to learn more about the region. The first service day took place on Sept. 11 at Recreation Park in Fulton, followed by another on Sept. 18 which for Friends of Fulton Parks' Fulton Teen Park, during which students helped spread wood chips and received a free T-shirt for their efforts.

“We wanted our sophomore students to have the opportunity to get connected, involved and learn about SUNY Oswego and the Oswego community,” said event coordinator Shelly Sloan, health promotion coordinator in the Dean of Students Office.

A Sophomore Campus Tour on Sept. 30 helped give attendees an idea of where various campus buildings, offices and services are located, meant especially to help those whose first years might have been remote. It was open to students in any class to help any interested participant get to know campus better. 

Upcoming events include a Sophomore Registration 101 Session in 201 Marano Campus center, which will allow students to review every aspect of the registration process, which including Degree Works,  their student profiles, and the Registration and Planning services. Additional service days are in the works as well.

The next sophomore service day will take place Oct. 15 at Rice Creek Field Station. Rice Creek Field Station is seeking volunteers from 9 a.m. until noon and 1 to 4 p.m. for RCFS's Canal Forest Restoration Project, which volunteers are needed for transplanting trees. See the calendar item for more information and how to sign up.

These events were partly a result of the OZBot chat that regularly reaches out to students through text. Surveys had 237 sophomores respond, with 71 percent saying they felt excited about the semester but 61 percent percent saying they felt disconnected from their peers.

The students who have participated in these events have positive things to say. 

“I definitely feel like participating in these events has helped me make strong connections with people in the same year as me as well as those who are just entering,” said Courtney Wood, a student who has participated in two sophomore service days.

Another participant Joseph Costello said he would 100 percent recommend these events to other students because he feels community service is a key part of college life.

For more information on upcoming events and resources, visit the Services for Sophomores website.

-- Written by Braylon Noble of the Class of 2022