Over 225 seniors attended the graduating classes first ever “50 Days to Kickoff Graduation Celebration,” a free event open to all seniors, in Ocean First Bank Center Varsity Club Tuesday, March 26.
The senior class officers announced what events will be occurring during senior week, as well as when seniors can start buying tickets to Senior Week events.
The celebration included door prizes such as a $100 amazon gift card, food, refreshments, and one alcoholic beverage for seniors who are 21 and older.
Seniors who attended were able to pick up or place their order for their senior class shirt, and have the chance to donate their senior class gift of $20.19, in which they will receive a philanthropy cord for at graduation.
“When we all took office we knew that senior class was in need of some serious updates,” said Nick Verzicco, a senior business administration student and President of the senior class. “We wanted to really analyze other senior class programs at other institutions and see what the rest of our peers are doing.”
Verzicco said that the senior class officers noticed that other universities do not just save all their events for the last week of school, but do things throughout the year to create that comradery among the seniors.
“We all decided that a 50 Day Kickoff to Graduation would be a great start to initiating senior fun. We wanted to create something that we could release information about senior week events, philanthropy cords and give out some cool door prizes,” he explained.
“This was a great event for seniors to mingle with each other before they graduate,” said Phoebe Nelson, a senior political science student and Vice President of the senior class.
“I met with our advisors multiple times to organize the activities that would be occurring at the event and planning out each door prize that was donated to us.”
Nelson explained that the senior class officers also had to do a lot of advertising via social media because it was the first time that the senior class ever held the event.
“I was excited that the officers wanted to take on so many new initiatives this year with the new website for seniors, on-line ticket sales, and the first 50 Days to Graduation Kick-Off Celebration,” said Meg McGowan, Special Events Manager for Conference Services and Special Events, and an adviser to the senior class. “The kick-off celebration was something the officers discussed after feedback from a survey that went out. We received feedback that some seniors wanted to connect with their classmates prior to Senior Week.”
Amanda Klaus, Executive Director of Alumni Relations and University Engagement, and an adviser for both the senior class and the Student-Alumni Association (SAA), helped to bring the two student organizations together in meetings throughout the fall and spring semesters.
She believes that connecting the senior class, who would soon be alumni, themselves, with the SAA was a great way to encourage lasting relationships with Monmouth.
“The Office of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving was honored to sponsor this event to celebrate our graduating seniors and welcome them as our newest alumni,” said Klaus.
She continued, “It is heartwarming to see the class officers and the volunteers as well as the Student Alumni Association come together for a common goal to honor their 4 years together, give back to support the next generation of Hawks, and celebrate each other.”
PHOTO COURTESY of Phoebe Nelson
