Haley Murray<br
Daily Egyptian
The Recreation Center swarmed with prospective SIUC students and their
families Friday morning in the first open house aimed at the 2006
school year, event coordinator Angie Royal said.
Royal said she estimated 300 students attended, and the number reached 1,200 with the addition of parents and siblings.
"We don't have the specific numbers, but we're very pleased with the turnout," she said.
The open house, which was in the fitness forum of the Recreation
Center, marks the first of five such events that are geared toward
informing prospective students about the different colleges, programs
and other agencies on campus, and highlighting the Recreation Center.
"We basically have representatives from various academic programs on
campus, representatives from the different student services-housing and
financial aid-and we do campus tours," Royal said.
Informative workshops that took place on the tennis courts and aerobics
rooms, included "How to Become a Saluki," "Opportunities for High
Potential Students," "Opportunities for the Undecided Student," and,
for the first time, "Opportunities for Involvement at SIUC."
"There are always questions regarding involvement. Parents and students
understand that involvement is a key component to the undergraduate
education," Director of Student Development Katie Sermersheim said.
Other features included admissions counseling on the track, and various
departmental booths on the basketball courts that offered information
and advice.
"We held a session for parents and students that told them about the
benefits of getting involved in the community," Saluki Volunteer Corp.
coordinator Mythili Rundblad said. "We had a testimony from one
involved student so [prospective] students could hear from some of
their peers."
Brittany Yaets, a senior at Evanston Township High School, said the
tours, starting every 45 minutes, helped her appreciate the atmosphere
at SIUC.
"It's a nice campus, and so spread out, but it still has a personal feeling," she said. "Everyone's really friendly."
Amy Ziolkowski, a senior at Lincolnway High School in Frankfort, said
the departmental booths and workshops helped her learn about the
departments and their perks.
"It's a really good opportunity to get to know the school,' she said.
Although the Recreation Center was packed with prospective students,
their families, departmental representatives and workshop instructors,
the center maintained regular hours.
"It's a whole lot of fun," Director Bill McMinn said. "We have quite a rep that precedes the arrival."
The next open house will be Sep. 17 at the same site.
"We like to highlight the Rec. Center," Royal said. "With the Healthplex, it's one of the largest centers on a campus."
In the end, it's all about getting the prospective students to the campus, Royal said.
"Getting them physically here is the best recruitment," she said. "It's a one-of-a-kind Saluki experience."
Reporter Haley Murray can be reached at
haley_murray@dailyegyptian.com
