Fun Events During "Welcome Week" get Students Involved

by Rebecca Zisch
Nevada State College began the 2007 school year with a series of entertaining and fun events, thanks to the efforts of the Nevada State Student Association (NSSA). Welcome Week has become a tradition at NSC, and this year the NSSA put together a packed schedule of activities that included exciting prizes and free food, above all, enough pizza for the whole student body, delivered to the academic buildings throughout the week.
NSSA President Ryan Crowell saw everyone having fun. I think these were some of our most successful events ever. I overheard a lot of students saying how much they enjoyed themselves and I’ve already been asked when we’re going to do it again.
On Monday, August 27, the first day of classes, NSC students were welcomed back with the opportunity to enjoy complimentary back and neck massages in the Great Hall. Three professional massage therapists were on hand to help everyone feel relaxed about the forthcoming semester.
Tuesday of Welcome Week saw the debut of a brand-new event: Speed Mingle. Inspired by the speed dating concept, NSSA create an amusing and stress-free atmosphere where students, faculty and staff could all get to know each other. Over 40 people gathered around tables and sat across from each other in pairs with a list of prepared questions to help them get acquainted. Cameron Robinson, NSSA Chair of Programming, rang a cowbell every minute so everyone would rotate seats and meet another person. In this way, almost everyone there got to introduce themselves to each other.
Senior Erin O Leary took part in the Speed Mingle and got to meet a lot of new people. It was nice to see all of the activity in the great hall during Welcome Week and it was great to see students getting involved. During the Speed Mingle, I met some of the newer students and now I see them frequently in the great hall and say Hi to them.
Every Speed Mingle participant left with a bag of candy and was also entered into a drawing with scores of prizes. The grand prize for students was an iPod nano. Not to be left out, there were restaurant gift certificates that faculty and staff had a chance to win.
On Wednesday, the Great Hall was transformed into a movie theatre with a big-screen TV for a mid-day screening of Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End. NSSA was able to arrange for a special screening since the DVD release of this popular film isn’t scheduled until December 2007.
Welcome Week culminated on Thursday with Boogie 4UR Books, a laid-back, student talent show with coveted prizes: textbook scholarships redeemable at the NSC Bookstore. Students dared to share their wide-range of talents in front of the crowd in the Great Hall and the judges: Vice Provost of Student Experience Jim Labuda, Nichole Miller from Student Experience and Rebecca Zisch from College Relations.
The audience was treated to singing, acting, dancing and even a demonstration of Renaissance clothing that was entirely handmade. Two NSSA members, Ryan Crowell and Zhiqi Feng, weren’t eligible to win, but wowed the crowd with their talent anyway: rapping and hula-hooping respectively.
In the end, Senior Ashley Brown took second place for a hilarious pantomime, winning $100 to spend in the bookstore.
But it was Sophomore Elia Bell who won the $200 grand prize for her exquisite traditional hula dance. I was nervous about sharing my dancing with so many other students, but I’m glad that I was able to encourage other students to perform, too. But mostly I’m excited about winning the money to help me pay for my books for the spring semester.
NSSA is happy with how well Welcome Week was received, according to Cameron Robinson. We’re really happy with the success of these events and looking forward to more in the near future.
For more information on Nevada State College, call: (702) 992-2000 or visit: nsc.edu.