Episode 44: A Quick Guide to Student Life

Episode 44: A Quick Guide to Student Life

• Episode 44 Transcript

  [00:00:06] BT: What do you like to do in your free time? If you're anything like me, maybe it's catching up on pop culture, playing a musical instrument, or seeing a theatre performance or two.

  [00:00:16] BHA: Or if you're like me, it's taking a yoga class, spending time outside, or checking out a new restaurant in downtown Lewisburg.

  [00:00:23] BT: Whatever your extracurricular interests and passions are, college is the ultimate time to dive even deeper into the things that you love. On most campuses, you'll find a whole administrative division dedicated to enhancing the experiences of students outside of the classroom. I'm Brooke Thames from Bucknell University. In this episode of College Admissions Insider, we're giving you a quick guide to student life.

  [00:00:44] BHA: I'm Becca Haupt Aldredge, also from Bucknell. Today, we'll talk about the role of a student life office on campus, how high schoolers can get a sense of what student life looks like at a school, and advice for exploring both new and familiar interests in college.

  [00:00:59] BT: Here to provide his expertise on the topic is Brent Papson, Bucknell’s director of campus activities & programs. Brent has worked in higher education for 12 years, with 5 of those spent providing exciting and fun engagement opportunities for students at Bucknell. Welcome to the podcast, Brent.

  [00:01:15] BP: Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here with you.

  [00:01:18] BHA: Brent, let's start by hearing more about what you do within Campus Activities & Programs at Bucknell.

  [00:01:23] BP: Sure, so Campus Activities & Programs is what we refer to our office at Bucknell. But at other schools, sometimes they're known as Student Activities offices or Offices of Leadership and Engagement. Every school is somewhat unique but, essentially, oversees similar things. So out of the CAP Center, as we like to call it, we advise our student government, which we called BSG — we love our acronyms at Bucknell. We have about 150-plus student organizations that are student-run and student-interest. That doesn't even include our Greek organizations or our club sports and department organizations as well.

  So we oversee our large-scale events that we have on campus, which we'll talk about a little bit later. I also advise our student media, which involves our campus newspaper and our streaming station and podcast. Then we also have our student programming board, which is known as CORE. So those are made up of a group of student leaders who program throughout the semester and have programs each weekend on campus. Then our Office of Outdoor Education and Leadership, also known as OEL, provides a lot of outdoor programs for our students.

  Then we have event spaces on campus, one nightclub type venue known as Uptown, where we have programming every weekend with student performers, outside performers, karaoke nights, all that kind of fun stuff. Then we also have another social space on campus called 7th Street Makerspace and Studio, which is really unique to Bucknell. We'll talk a little bit about it later as well.

  Then we oversee a few orientation programs as well. Pre-Orientation programs are programs for first-year incoming students to get involved with, to get to know campus and the local community before classes start. Those are some of the major things we see, along with a lot of other little things throughout.

  [00:03:19] BHA: Wow. Brent, you guys do so much in the CAP center. I know that you have a team of staff members, but I also know that a lot of programming is coordinated by the students. So what's that like to be able to put on such a large breadth of programming as a staff and student kind of co-project?

  [00:03:36] BP: Yeah. It's fascinating. We love summers because it's a little bit quieter. But we certainly always miss our students. They bring so much energy and passion. I think what I'm most impressed about with Bucknell students is their leadership ability and the expertise that they bring.

  So we kind of view our office as like riding a tandem bicycle, where the students are in the front seat steering, but we're there behind them pedaling, and giving them advice, and leading them where to go. So it's pretty cool that all these programs are student-run, and we get to help their visions come to life and bring performers that they see. We just love the energy that they bring to our job each day.

  It's tiring. It's a lot of hours. But at the end of the day, when you see some of these programs that you're working together with students, it totally makes it worth it.

  [00:04:23] BT: So it's safe to say there are tons of opportunities to get involved, whether you're a student who's coordinating some of these activities and events or just a student participating in them. Since extracurricular activities are such a big part of the overall college experience, how can high schoolers who are looking at colleges get an overall sense of what student life looks like on a given campus?

  [00:04:43] BP: That’s a great question. The best way is really to visit campus while classes are in session. I know that's not always possible, but it does give you the best glimpse into that university and what campus life is about, what life outside the classroom is. You can get a feel for the hallways. You see the posters on the wall. You can talk to students, if you can do an overnight visit or a weekend visit. Just talking with the students, interacting with them and then seeing the events that happen on campus.

  We had, at our last Open House, Bison Sound, which is one of my favorite events that we have on campus, where we had student performers, and we had tents with couches and furniture under them for glamping. We had 11 food trucks giving out free food. It's really cool to see some prospective students and incoming students hanging out with our current students and interacting with them. You can tell that they were just having an amazing time, and it gives you a really good feel for that university.

  If you can't make it on campus, though, social media would probably be the best alternative. On Instagram, you can probably find a handle for just about anything in life, and colleges are no different. So I would recommend searching for handles associated with that university and getting a feel for it. Of course, I have to throw in as advisor for student media. If the campus has a newspaper or radio station, that's a great insight to that university and the school and the issues that are going on there and the events and the programs that they have there.

  Then also, websites are a great tool, right? So hopping on a site, maybe doing a search for campus life or student activities or campus activities. Most search engines will bring you back to sites where you can see student involvement and programs.

  [00:06:26] BHA: So what I'm hearing is that Bucknell’s student life is pretty robust. You've mentioned hundreds of clubs, activities nearly every day of the week, annual events and so much more. That, in part, is because Bucknell is located in a pretty rural area. So we want students to make sure that they have immediate access to activities and experiences right here on campus. How might the location of the school affect the kinds of activities that are available to students there?

  [00:06:51] BP: Yes. Bucknell isn't in the middle of nowhere. We find that it’s in the middle of everywhere. We're really just short two to three-hour drive from New York City, Philly, D.C. and Baltimore. So while a lot of students will visit these places, there's also so much for them to do on campus and in Lewisburg.

  We're very intentional with not just what we do with our events but when we do them as well. So first, they are all planned by students. So it's not me sitting behind a computer screen or my colleagues picking out which artists to come to campus, right? We work with groups of students, and students can sign up for it. Anybody can join these committees. To narrow down artists lists, things to do on campus each weekend, we do a lot of surveying across campus as well.

  Then we're also very intentional with the way we spread out our large events across the year. For example, when students first arrive on campus in August, we have a large “welcome back” concert festival to go along with an activities fair. We want students to right away feel like this is the place where they need to be, that there's things for them to do. So what better way to have a large gathering with all of our students, introducing them to our student organizations and our student leaders? This past year, we had 12 food trucks on campus with over 200 organizations at that. Then we had two concerts that weekend that were free for our students who attend.

  In September, just a month later, we have Fall Fest, which is a large carnival and student performers at that event. Then in October, we have a country fair with hayrides, a petting zoo and pumpkin painting. Then in November, we have what we call Center Stage, which is a large comedy event, which we partner with the basketball program to launch their basketball seasons, where they'll introduce the rosters of their basketball teams. Then we'll have a big-name comedian on stage. So this past year, we had Sal Vulcano from Impractical Jokers. We had Eric Andre a couple years ago, Adam DeVine a couple years before that. But it’s dated back for many years. We've had Seth Meyers, Jim Gaffigan, right? We infuse these fun, large-scale programs every couple of months, and really get students excited about being at Bucknell and being at Bucknell U.

  [00:09:14] BT: Yeah. It sounds like there's something there for everyone. I wonder if we can break this all down even further. I mean, you mentioned concerts and comedians. So for those who are into arts entertainment, what other kinds of things are offered at Bucknell, for example?

  [00:09:28] BP: Yeah. I mean, it was an exciting semester, this semester with Jack Harlow coming to campus and Pete Davidson as well. So students really got an inside look on how to bring an artist like that to campus, the production that goes behind it.

  But really, students can start off their student experience with Arts First, which is Pre-Orientation program. Again, I’d mentioned Pre-Orientations, and they're not just about the experience, but also connecting with the campus, and most importantly, connecting with students with similar interests.

  So in addition to student opportunities for performing arts like our dance groups, we have five acapella groups on campus, again, some very talented students, poetry, clubs and so much more. The Weis Center, which is a venue on campus, holds almost daily performances of shows — not just the students but outside performers, not just in the local area but national performance as well. Then we have a unique space in 7th Street Makerspace and Studio, which is open to all students.

  So makerspaces have been a huge trend over the last few years. We've actually had our makerspace for a lot longer. While we have three [makerspaces] on campus, 7th Street Makerspace and Studio is really geared to all students because student making and art should be a part of that process. So they offer skill-based classes like selling pottery, resin pours. They also have 3D printers, laser cutters and so much more. They have regular programs throughout the week. So neon sign making, custom throw pillows, mini cornhole sets, string art, vinyl T-shirts. It's pretty cool to see the projects that come out of that space.

  They also ramped up pop up programs. So it really engages students that are just walking by and maybe on their way to class or way back from class. They may see students making something, and they can join in and do it for free. It's a real resource for our student organizations as well.

  [00:11:24] BHA: One of the perks of being in central Pennsylvania are the endless possibilities for outdoor adventures. What's offered for students who like to get outside?

  [00:11:32] BP: Lewisburg is a great place to be for outdoor activity, and we have a robust OEL program, as mentioned earlier — Outdoor Education and Leadership program within the CAP center. So BuckWild is another Pre-Orientation program. It's our largest one, where we have 100 incoming students partake in it, and they go on different trips across Pennsylvania. Whether it's whitewater rafting, or kayaking, or hiking, they're really neat programs.

  Again, not just to connect with outdoor activities but also with students with similar interests as you as well. They offer multiple trips every weekend from mountain biking, to paddling on the river — which literally goes right by campus — to fly fishing, as well as local skiing and so much more. So we have a lot of great mountains nearby for skiing in Pennsylvania, and they go every week while there's snow on the ground to those mountains. They're provided a small cost for students.

  We also have a rock wall on campus. We have a Bison Bikes program, where students can rent out a bike for the semester, if they can't bring a bike with them. We also have a rental center for a number of gear. So you can rent out kayaks and canoes, tents, sleeping bags — basically any kind of equipment you can think about to get outdoors.

  Then finally, we also have a challenge course, which is about 10 to 15 minutes from campus. On that challenge course, we have a high ropes course and a zip line, and then a low ropes course as well. So a lot of our departments and student organizations will utilize that for team building and things like that.

  Finally, they offer some really large trips too. This summer, they're going to Mount Kilimanjaro, which is pretty incredible. A couple of weeks ago for spring break, they were in Utah, backpacking. A couple of years ago, they're planning a trip to Iceland as well. So those are some of the bigger programs that they do throughout the year, but there's so much to do just in Lewisburg area and the surrounding mountains and river. It’s a pretty incredible place to be.

  [00:13:32] BT: There's also leadership and civic engagement for students that are into community building and making a difference on their campuses. So what kinds of opportunities should students be on the lookout for there at the schools that they're looking at?

  [00:13:46] BP: Yeah. In addition to our multiple service-oriented student organizations, Bucknell has an Office of Civic Engagement that works with our local nonprofit organizations, and they help connect students with the local community. But for our student organizations, we have e-Nable, which designs and fabricates 3D-printed prosthetic hands for children and adults; Habitat for Humanity that works on building houses in the local area; Bison Pals, which works with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

  Those are just a small sample of the student organizations that we have that are providing service within our local community but also beyond that as well, where they'll do extended spring break trips, giving back to the community. Greek life on campus, which is about 50% of our student population, does a lot of philanthropic and service work in our community as well.

  [00:14:38] BHA: All of these sound like really great ways to get involved and socially embedded at a college, especially early on. What advice do you have for exploring new and familiar interest or for finding your people at a school?

  [00:14:51] BP: Yeah. The number one thing I would say for incoming students, no matter where you go, try to do a Pre-Orientation program if they are offered at your school. It is a great way to get connected with students, even before the first-year students arrive on campus. It gives you people to go to lunch with, people to talk to. A lot of times, it will orient you to the university. So you have a head start on where buildings are, where things are and also the local community as well. They can lead to more leadership opportunities down the road as well.

  If you can't do that, though — and even if you do that — I really recommend checking out the activities fair that your university will offer and check out as many groups as possible. Sign up for a bunch and feel them out, right? When you're ready to take on leadership, choose one or two but don't feel like you have to stick with them for four years. We really encourage students to pursue multiple things and get wildly involved. If you don't see an organization that you're passionate about, go ahead and start it. Work with your campus activities office, see how you can start it on campus. The process is usually easier than you think.

  Finally, don't be afraid to go to things. In college, you can see concerts and performers that you wouldn't have to pay hundreds of dollars to see off campus. Not only are they usually free or cost very little on campus, but there's also a much smaller crowd that you're competing with to see it. So take advantage of these opportunities while you can.

  [00:16:15] BT: Yeah. Brent, I love how you mentioned that you can sign up for a bunch of things but don't necessarily feel like you have to commit to every single thing for the long haul. Which brings us to the flip side of this, which is because there are so many activities available, is it possible to get too involved? I remember in college, I was working at the student newspaper, participating in dorm events and I had a part-time job on campus — and I barely had time to breathe. That was only three activities that I was doing outside of classes.

  [00:16:42] BP: Yes, definitely. We stress that students should explore a wide variety of organizations, especially when they first get here. But key in on one or two for leadership. Instead of making a minor impact for five or six organizations, make a deeper impact for one or two. That doesn't mean you can't be a member of more. We also encourage students to dive deep for a year or two, then maybe look at something else. College is a great time to explore a variety of interests and try something new.

  [00:17:08] BHA: I love that piece about taking a deeper dive and making a deeper impact in one or two organizations, while being a member of others. That's such a great insight to help students manage their time when there are so many things to get involved with.
  So it's something that we talk a lot about on this podcast. Let’s close by hearing from the ultimate expert. What's the value of going to a school where you won't only grow academically but also personally through engagement and through student life on campus?

  [00:17:35] BP: Students often tell us that they learn just as much outside the classroom as they do inside it. You'll get an incredible education at a school like Bucknell, but student organizations and leadership will help you practice what you're learning in the classroom and develop soft skills.

  Think about the newspaper as an example. This is true for really any student organization. As the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, you oversee 20 different editors, who then oversee their writers. You have to meet deadlines, overcome challenges on short notice. You have to deal with pushback from readers and the campus community. It’s just not something you would experience in the classroom or even a campus job.

  Really, that relates to all of our student organizations. As a student leader, you're dealing with things that you may not see or deal with inside the classroom or on a campus job or an internship. You really get the oversight of other students. Two, going to a smaller school enables students to get involved early and on a much higher level. There are more opportunities for students, and students can create their own paths when going to a smaller school.

  [00:18:37] BT: Yeah. I love that. That's really good advice. Thank you, Brent, for joining us on this episode of College Admissions Insider to share your insight for students who are looking to get involved in student life at Bucknell or any of the colleges that they're looking at.

  [00:18:49] BP: Thank you for having me. If listeners could take away one thing today, I hope that is to get involved no matter where you go to school. Take advantage of the opportunities in front of you because college goes by pretty fast.

  [00:19:01] BHA: Thanks to everybody out there listening. If you're a fan of the podcast, please take a moment to rate, subscribe and share this episode with students and families in your life.

  [00:19:09] BT: We'll be back with another episode in just two weeks. In the meantime, send your questions, comments and episode ideas to podcast@bucknell.edu. We read every note that arrives in our inbox.

  [00:19:21] BHA: Finally, you're invited to follow Bucknell on your favorite social media apps. Just look for @bucknellu on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and now TikTok. You can also follow our student-run Instagram account, which is @iamraybucknell.

  [00:19:35] BT: Until next time, keep on reaching for your dreams and your dream school.