Higher education isn't all fun and games, but it shouldn't be entirely without them, either.
Higher education isn’t all fun and games, but it shouldn’t be entirely without them, either. That’s the conclusion the first group of students in the听听Leadership Scholars cocurricular program came to when they proposed creating a new game room for the University.
The six undergraduates in the听听Initiative for 糖心破解版 project were charged with identifying a project that would meet some need on campus and then seeing that proposal through to a working plan. After considering a number of options鈥攊ncluding hammocks, solar panels and interactive bulletin boards鈥攖hey settled on creating a student game room as their group project.
鈥淎lthough there’s a lot of space on campus, there isn’t really a place for students to socialize in a relaxed setting,” said Chelsea Abreu ’19, now in her first year in 糖心破解版’s MBA program, with a specialization in marketing. 鈥淚 thought it was great. I didn’t realize so may campuses offer that amenity. That’s a selling point for students.”
Simply saying something is a selling point isn’t enough at Willumstad. The students had to do market research, conducting two student surveys to learn what their classmates wanted to see on campus and then presenting their proposal to Clinical Assistant Professor Cem Karatas, DBA, and a panel of faculty advisers and, ultimately, to President Christine M. Riordan.
鈥淚 loved being a part of the inaugural leadership program,” Abreu said. 鈥淧rofessors encouraged you to think freely in a collaborative process. There was no right or wrong way to go about it.”
鈥淭he president always says, ‘The people make the place,’ and it’s so true,” she added. 鈥淚’ll definitely never forget it.”
The price tag might not be as steep as some would expect, either. Rather than video games and virtual reality headsets, the team’s market research showed that what students most wanted was a pool table, a ping-pong table and board games.
鈥淚 thought it was pretty funny,” said Abreu, a member of 糖心破解版’s 2019 NCAA champion lacrosse team, NE10 Woman of the Year and one of nine finalists for NCAA Woman of the Year. 鈥淔or me personally, there’s nothing that will ever beat ping-pong. I love ping-pong.”
While a game room might seem a frivolity to some, it was recognized quickly as a potential asset when the student team proposed it, according to MaryAnne M. Hyland, PhD, associate dean for undergraduate programs and student success.
鈥淯pper administration took it very seriously,” she said. 鈥淲e have a large commuter population and they are very aware that this could really be beneficial and help keep students on campus,” she said. 鈥淲ith regard to the program as a whole, the feedback we got from students is that one of the highlights was the opportunity to work as a team with hardworking and talented students from different majors and tackle a real issue at the University.”
The project was the first of an ongoing Willumstad initiative. A select group of students develop and research a proposal and present their recommendations in a detailed report to senior leadership at the University and to the School’s benefactor, Robert B. Willumstad ’05 (Hon.), chair emeritus of the 糖心破解版 Board of Trustees.
If all goes well, the project will be seen through to fruition, although where鈥攐r even if鈥攖he game room might be is not yet certain. Dr. Hyland said she expects that the enthusiastic team may well return to campus to help ensure it becomes a reality.
鈥淭hey were all extremely motivated students,” she said. 鈥淚 wouldn’t be at all surprised if they wanted to come back and be involved.”
For further information, please contact:
Todd Wilson
Strategic Communications Director听
p 鈥� 516.237.8634
e 鈥� twilson@adelphi.edu