From the live music to the postcard-perfect sunshine to the hundreds of students on the campus mall Wednesday, the Campus and Community Fair felt like an unofficial ceremony of university life truly, actually happening again.
Running late morning to early afternoon, the fair hosted dozens of student organizations, companies and non-profit organizations that set up tables and booths on the campus mall as students showed up in droves. With the scent of grilled hot dogs hovering, gift bags were stuffed, roulette wheels spun, the band Fat City All Stars covered everything from Foo Fighters to Santana and students such as Addison Shell were taking it all in.
“We didn’t have events like this, or at least I didn’t go to them,” said Shell, a second-year transfer student from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. “It’s cool that businesses from outside are coming in and allowing us to learn more about them because we wouldn’t hear about them otherwise.”
and a roulette wheel of giveaways.
The fair was set up as a chance for students to meet representatives of groups, businesses and organizations from the greater Mankato area that had opportunities for internships, jobs and volunteer duties. Student organizations were front and center, seeking to meet and recruit new members
“There’s a lot of cool opportunities, a lot more than you would think in small-town Mankato,” said junior Lindsey Roberts, who is from Andover, Minn. “It’s super fun, fun to get to know new people and see all the opportunities they have to offer students. It’s awesome.”
Faculty and administrators, including President Edward Inch, strolled the grounds as well.
Alex Vue, sophomore, was pleased with the amount of swag giveaways he had acquired and stuffed in a bag (also a giveaway.) Included items were ramen noodles, snacks, bottles of water and more.
Vue said he hadn’t gone to the event seeking out any particular group but was wowed by all the activities he learned were available.
“I was just grazing, really,” he said.
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