Alumni News
DeSales Celebrates Students with Student Appreciation Day
DeSales is showing students some love amid a semester unlike any other.
Father James Greenfield, OSFS ’84, University president, dubbed Wednesday, November 4, Student Appreciation Day. He gave students the day off from classes after hearing feedback that they were feeling burned out and also as a way of thanking them for embracing the Salesian Solidarity Pledge to keep campus COVID-19 compliant.
“We knew that students wanted these kinds of activities throughout the semester, but due to COVID-19 we haven’t been able to do them yet.”
For Lynsey Hunt ’22 and Mary Bushner ’23, the day off meant a return to some sense of normalcy amid a semester of social distancing.
“This day is an amazing opportunity for us to not only relieve some stress but also just hang out with our friends, which has been rather hard considering the current situation,” says Hunt, a marketing and healthcare administration double major. “I am very appreciative of Father Jim for taking our comments seriously when we asked for a bit of rest.”
Adds Bushner, a nursing major: “I think this day is perfect for the students for their mental health. It gives us a little break to catch up on work, but also it’s a beautiful day outside so we can hang and be a community together.”
The student life office teamed up with athletics to make the day a memorable one. Members of the student engagement and leadership team—Andrea Guarino, Tracy Gallagher, Sydney Amato, and Nick Luchko—wanted to bring back activities that have been popular in the past.
The day featured everything from free food trucks and candy to free activities like mini golf at PUTT-U, a corn hole tournament, and a virtual guided meditation session hosted by alum Mary Pratt. The afternoon was filled with a variety of athletic competitions, including a home run derby, soccer penalty kick, and longest tennis rally.
“We wanted to do something for the students and give them the opportunity to relieve some stress,” says Luchko, assistant dean of students for engagement and leadership. “We knew that students wanted these kinds of activities throughout the semester, but due to COVID-19 we haven’t been able to do them yet.”
