Fall '03 Edition
Recreation Center hopes students will finish final's week with them
Jessica Yorama
Daily Egyptian
 Amber Arnold~Daily EgyptianLinda Martin, college of science, and Dennis Leitner, college of education, give turkey and ham sandwiches, donated from Walmart, to SIU students at the Student Recreation Center Sunday evening. For two-hour shifts, SIU faculty served students from 6 p.m. to 12. p.m. at the recreation center Sunday through Tuesday. |
For most, finals are the last step to obtaining their degree from SIUC. Each year, in order to decrease the amount of stress experienced during finals week and to provide a place for students to study, the Recreation Center sponsors Salukis Final Finish. Each college donates $250 in support of the event, which began Sunday and ends today. During the event, the establishment provides free food and extended hours to students.
Some had attended Final Finish in previous years, some learned about the event through advertisements. Others who simply came to exercise, such as C.J Smith, were surprised to see a display of sandwiches, fruit and vegetables upon entering the center. Even students such as sophomore Katie Robinson, who said she had completed most of her studying already, came to participate in a class study session and partake of the free food.
During the three-day period, the center will remain open through midnight, with items such as tacos, pizza and sandwiches available all night. This is the fifth year for the event, which was started by Student Center director Bill McMinn. According to Gary Tisdale, marketing coordinator for the Student Center, McMinn brought the idea back to employees after attending a conference several years ago. Tisdale said the event has been successful since its beginning, with students even coming out to attend one year despite snow.
"One year it snowed but it didn't really hurt our numbers," said Tisdale, who began setting up for the event on Saturday. "A lot of students will see [the food] as they're going to exercise or when they're coming from exercising."
Whether they come to eat or to exercise, we just wanted to do something for students because, during finals week, they don't always eat very well. The hardest part is trying to estimate the crowd."
Treadmills and exercise bikes cleared temporarily Sunday night, but there was never a time anxious students did not occupy the lines for free food. As soon as the event began shortly after 6 p.m., students formed a single file line, some doing as many as three reps through the line on the first floor of the Student Center.
Students were catered to by faculty members, such as Richard Rivers, who worked in two-hour shifts to serve food from area locations such as Wal-Mart and Papa John's. Those involved in the organization of the event began making preparations as early as September. In the end, the event is expected to accommodate approximately 2800 students.
Other locations, such as the Newman Center, which provided a late-night breakfast, as well as campus dining halls, attempted to address the needs students staying up late to study.
Graduating senior Travis Bostic said he has made a point of attending the Recreation Center event on several occasions during his time at SIUC and is appreciative of the free service.
"I'm an architecture major, so most of my stuff was projects, so my hell week was last week," said Bostic, a senior in architecture from Springfield. "I think it's a cool thing for students cause it's the end of the year, their financial aid may have run out and they might not have much money.
"When it comes to college students, you can never go wrong with free food."
Jessica Yorama can be reached at: jyorama@dailyegyptian.com
Newsbriefs | pulse - Arts & Entertainment | Calendar | Photo Staff
Apts & Rentals | Photo Personals | Live DE NewsCam | Classified Ads
Last update: Monday, December 8, 2003 at 7:21:53 PM
Copyright 2009 Daily Egyptian