Fall 2016 has been a busy semester at Sam Houston State University. With all that is going on, it is quite possible that a students missed out on a major event. Here are some of the most noteworthy events this semester that you may have missed, so catch up while you still can.
Welcome Week
Welcome Week is full of events that help students feel at ease returning back to school. Coming back for the new year is already a struggle, but the university did a good job in organizing all of the campus organizations.
Students from every classification and major all got a chance to participate. During August 22 to August 30 activities from organizations, clubs, and sports groups were held. Students on campus who moved in on August 22 were able to experience fellow students helping them move in.
On August 23 the “RecFEST” was held, music and free t-shirts were the life of the party. Later that evening new students attended the New Student Convocation. On Tuesday finding your classes was a must, as members of the Program Council helped lead new students around campus.
All this and many more events were hosted by other clubs and organizations. In the mall area on Tuesday, the sororities/fraternities of Sam were out and clubs too. The campus org CRU hosted an ice cream social. They were set out in the mall area and were giving away free ice cream and root beer floats.
Jessica Schick one of the leaders of this social, was excited about the events.
“Welcome Week is always an important part of the school year here at Sam. We try to do something fun to grab student’s attention and get to know more people. It’s always fun seeing new faces and of course wanting others to learn about CRU our organization.” Schick said.
That same day the famous Party in the Pit was a definite go, students gathered around what used to be Old Main. A DJ came out and livened up the party, the audience loved every minute of it.
It’s an annual hang out for all students during Welcome Week. The rest of the week was full of many other things to do so now you know your first week of the year, you won’t be bored.
Bearkat Family Weekend
Bearkat Family Weekend occurred from October 28 to October 30. It held a variety of events for students and their families to partake in.
A pep rally and football game against TSU, which the Kats won 66-17, stood as the biggest events of the weekend, however there were others such as tours, a Family Feud put on by SGA, a Family Fun Fair, and the Honor’s College Luncheon.
Raynie Leard, an Honors Ambassador, enjoyed the Honor’s College Luncheon the most.
“As an honors ambassador I had a lot of fun at the honors parents’ luncheon. I had to prepare for it, work and host it, meet friends’ families, but I also got to see my own family,” Leard said.
Veterans Week
The Veteran’s Resource Center honored the military during Veterans Week.
The week kicked off Friday November 4 with yellow ribbons being displayed around campus. On Sat. Nov 5 the football game honored the different branches of the military with tailgating, a military display on the Intermural field, and video montages during each quarter.
Faculty received Veterans Alliance Training on Tues. 8 in the LSC, and on Wed. 9, The Counseling Center provided a presentation.
On Fri.11, students observed Armistice Day by the Coliseum Flagpoles at 11:11 a.m., and the VRC held a barbeque that collected donations for veterans.
100 Men in Suits Movement
African-American students here at Sam Houston State University put a twist on the 100 Men in Suits Movement by including women.
The 100 Men in Suits movement has gone viral on twitter with participants from universities across the country. 100 Men in Suits is a gathering created to raise awareness for the Black Lives Matter Movement.
The movement took place here at Sam Houston on October 26. 100 males and a few females wore business professional attire and gathered in the LSC Mall Area for prayer.
Following the prayer, the group took a picture and marched across the yard. Many organizations participated in this event like Black Student Alliance, The Women of 1520, The Talented Tenth, and NAACP. Local Media outlets, such as Channel 7, and KSAM radio went out to cover this event. The 100 Men in Suits Movement really meant a lot to the African American students on campus, and those interested in supporting diversity campus wide.
Black Out Basketball
November 12 was the season opener basketball game for Sam Houston, but the game had a deeper meaning. This game was a “Black Out” event.
Dominique Thompson organized this event with help from a few organizations including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Black Student Alliance, the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, and the Talented Tenth.
The Black Out was done to show that the students did not approve of recent incidents of police brutality. Students were asked to attend the game and wear all black.
The “Black Out” season opener basketball game was a success, and students were very proud to participate in the event.
2016 Election Gets Students Involved
This fall students around campus had been anticipating the 2016 election. Everyone was casting their predictions on this year’s big winners across social media and around campus in a number of preparatory events.
This election has been one of the most controversial races in American history. A New York businessman and former First Lady were competing for the nation’s top spot.
Many professors even brought the subject to classrooms to spark debate. Tensions sometimes ran high between students because of their differing opinions.
Many felt Trump was not qualified to be president, and others thought Clinton wasn’t always telling the truth, for the three months leading up to the election students anticipated the results.
During this time, organizations like SHSU Republicans and Bearkat Democrats were involved in making sure students voices were heard on and off campus. The Student Government Association hosted debate parties for each night one was held.
As time came closer to the polls opening the campus became engulfed in political talk. The week of early voting, Texas saw record high number at polling places.
Over 4 million Texans came out to choose their presidential candidate of choice. Many people opted not to vote in the election, because they thought neither candidate was fit to be the leader of our country.
Organizations like NAACP and The Talented Tenth held a walk to the Walker County Annex to encourage students to vote and have their voices heard.
On election night the Student Government Association also held an Election Watch Party in the Kat Klub. Many people on campus came out to watch how the presidential hopefuls were doing around the country.
As anticipation grew for the winner to be chosen, students were not shy about who they wanted to win the title.
Although the watch party ended before a winner was chosen, everyone was shocked by the results. Hillary Clinton was the projected winner, but Donald Trump took the position. Although Clinton won more popular votes, Trump won the electoral vote which ultimately determines the winner.
The following day after election night the campus was very somber. Almost everyone had conversations that day about the results. Some were sad, and others were excited for our nation’s future. This election was one of the most prolific in history and taught us a lesson that we cannot assume what the future holds.
The semester was characterized by a number of enormously important events.
The community around campus came together to help each other and provide entertainment for all over the Fall semester.
The Spring semester promises even more opportunities to get involved and have some fun, right alongside chances to support important causes.