On Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, the Paddock outside of the Sarazen Student Union came to life during the Welcome Back Bash hosted by the Student Events Board. After a week of high stress and high temperatures, students gathered outside in surprisingly cooler weather. With a live DJ, fried dough, pizza, a caricaturist and the seats around the fire with good friends, the Welcome Back Bash had something for everyone to enjoy.
Students enjoyed good company, good food and good music around the famous fire on the SSU Paddock.
Stephanie Mercado ’21 shared, “This event is very high energy, it’s a great way to start off the school year and catch up with the people you didn’t have a chance to see over the summer.” Not only did the Welcome Back Bash give returning students the chance to celebrate another year at Siena, it also shed light on the community that first year and transfer students will have the opportunity to grow in throughout their time here.
Among the music and laughter sat caricaturist Rich Conley, who was “pretty funny,” Alex Ferrer ’20 praised. Conley’s cartoon sketches attracted many students to the event, most of whom were willing to stand by in excitement to see how he would work his cartoon magic. Below, Ferrer is pictured with his portrait, fresh off the drawing board.
Siena students can look forward to the events that the Student Events Board will be throwing every Saturday evening throughout the year. The success of these events is entirely due to the hard work of the students that lead the SEB program, among them, Caroline Isabel ’20 and Sydney Geddes ’20. “It’s rewarding to see the event come to life, and it feels good to know that students care enough to come to events on campus,” explained Geddes, Siena Night Life Co-Chair. The students of SEB have been planning the 2018 Welcome Back Bash since the end of the spring semester. Geddes and Isabel shared that they had booked the entertainment for the evening over the summer, and decided to hold the event outdoors earlier in the week. Committee members figured out ways to utilize the outdoor space and where to place each activity.
As far as the rest of the year goes, members of the Student Events Board are looking forward to seeing the responses of students to programs including Siena Fest, having therapy dogs visit, the International Food Fest and many more. Student Events Board Secretary Caroline Isabel shared, “I’m looking forward to seeing the student involvement in the choice of who the Siena Fest artist is going to be. Everyone gets really excited to participate in our selection process, and seeing the end result of that process is rewarding.”
From welcoming the new school year to sending students off for the summer at Siena Fest, the members of the Student Events Board put their hearts and souls into making the Siena experience one that is lively. As they lit the fire on the Paddock Saturday evening, the Student Events Board simultaneously re-ignited the fire that lives in all Siena Students as they look forward to this semester.