Student Activities Center
(Left to right) Marcus Manning, assistant director of athletics and recreation, IU South Bend; Amy Henkelman, Student Activities Center program manager, and Jeff Walker, Student Activities Center director.
Student Activities Center
|
Student life, athletics and recreation are growing interests at IU South Bend, and Marcus Manning, assistant director of athletics and recreation, compares his work to a new can of Play-doh: “We can mold it into anything we want.”
Manning, along with Amy Henkelman, Student Activities Center program manager, and Jeff Walker, Student Activities Center director, are working with student leaders to create a student life in the new Student Activities Center (SAC), which opened in January 2002.
The second basketball homecoming week brought hundreds of fans to basketball games and a first-ever battle of the bands. The student activities board has instituted two movie nights per week, along with an acoustic café and lectures.
“The numbers have steadily grown. The visits have doubled since that first year,” Walker said. “We have received suggestions and feedback from students on intramurals and activities. The SACPAC (a student club) was formed, and the purpose is to increase awareness and participation in the games. A pep band has added to the games along with cheerleaders and Titus the Titan.”
Senior Tony Kingsolver is the coordinator for student activities for the Student Government Association. He agrees that there is a different feeling on campus.
“There is no comparison between spring 2000 when I arrived on campus and now. Students are responding to the campus culture development. The activities center has fostered the growth in clubs. Student government struggled. Now there are enough qualified people to participate.”
Henkelman agreed that there is more enthusiasm for events. “The students see us on staff and know that we are interested in them.”
Manning said he sees the opportunity to take IU South Bend to the next level with more intramurals and club sports.
Walker said he and his staff share a common vision about the future.
“We’re all excited about the potential. This is a great place, and more good things will happen.”
http://www.iusb.edu/student/life.shtml
|
