All Those Big Kids
My first memory of a college campus was an elementary school field trip on Long Island. We visited a planetarium at Hoftra University. I think it was second or third grade—one of those times where we held classmates’ hands and formed long linkages assuring we wouldn’t lose one another.
I don’t recall anything of the planetarium, but do remember the cafeteria. Perhaps this was a sign of my waistline to come. The cafeteria was big and the counter tops seemed so high. You could grab what you wanted or avoid the vegetables altogether. There was no skipping the desserts!
I recall being in awe of the size of the campus. School that took place in more than one building—unimaginable. Yet here we were, with all of these “big kids,” going to school on a campus filled with many buildings focused on teaching, research and knowledge.
From that moment, I knew I wanted to go to college “when I grew up.” The seed had been planted.
Earlier this month we hosted Homecoming on campus and enjoyed reconnecting with alumni from across the decades. A new activity introduced was a Viking Fall Harvest hosted by President Harlan and Lynn Sands. The afternoon was filled with family-friendly activities (pumpkin decorating, face painting, climbing wall, inflatables, etc.) and all of your favorite family BBQ foods. More than 300 Viking Families attended and enjoyed a beautiful day back on campus. Thank you to those of you who attended, many of you with your families.
Along with enjoying the festivities, I couldn’t help but wonder how many seeds we were planting with these children. How many of them were mesmerized by the size of “school” at CSU. How many of them felt reinforced by their yearning to learn. How many of them would be future Vikings.
Whether you attended Viking Fall Harvest or not, consider bringing a young one to campus sometime this year to show off your alma mater, and to change a life.
