On Friday, October 10, more than 300 honors students gathered on the first floor of the Learning Innovation Center to participate in a larger-than-ever Honors College Fall Fest. The event featured carnival-style games, food, prizes and a 95-foot inflatable obstacle course, in a new iteration of the longtime Honors College tradition of welcoming students to the academic year through a community event.
Honors College Assistant Dean Kevin Stoller, ’99, provides a unique perspective on the historical evolution of Fall Fest from the early days of the HC, when he was a member of the first Honors College class (1995-1996). “During those first few years, we would often have trip-based events in the fall and a picnic in the spring,” Kevin says. “After the first Honors College residence hall in McNary opened, we’d have a fall barbeque there — often with Honors College staff members behind the grill! The fall barbeque tradition has continued, but the event has changed over time to accommodate much larger groups of students. It became ‘Fall Fest’ a few years ago, to focus on celebrating the new academic year, while continuing to be a cornerstone activity in building honors community.”
This year, Fall Fest was revamped to facilitate greater community engagement among both students and staff. “In the past, Fall Fest has centered around a meal,” says Katelyn Bye, Honors College executive assistant and lead organizer of the event. “Students would come and go; there wasn’t much to do at the event. This year, we really aimed to encourage people to stay, connect with each other and meet new people.”
In support of this goal, Katelyn planned 24 unique stations to create this year’s carnival-style event, including a caramel apple bar and other carnival snacks, face painting by HC student artists, an obstacle course, and games such as axe throwing and skee ball. Students earned raffle tickets by participating at each station.
“We also added tabling to the event,” says Katelyn. “It started with the idea to have our student app developers speak with attendees about the OSU Events App. Students earned tickets by downloading and interacting with the app, which keeps them in-the-know about HC happenings. Then we decided to bring in additional representatives of HC groups that offer key opportunities and supports to our students.” The Honors College Student Association (HCSA) tabled at Fall Fest alongside the Honors College offices of National and Global Scholarships Advising (NGSA) and Design for Social Impact (DSI), connecting students with ways to further their community involvement.
Upscaling Fall Fest was not without logistical challenges. For example, Katelyn says, “I had three weather-dependent layout plans: one for no rain, one for some rain and one for a downpour.” In the end, the event was held mostly indoors. Working with a total of seven on-campus and community organizations to bring the event to fruition also meant managing a lot of moving pieces. “But that made it even more exciting to see everything come together so smoothly. I really enjoy seeing students and faculty connecting and having fun! It’s rewarding to provide that opportunity.”
Kevin highlights the importance of community events like Fall Fest for students’ overall honors experience. “One of the most important aspects of being in the Honors College is having the opportunity to meet students you might otherwise not have had the chance to get to know, people who help you grow and who support you,” he says. “With a much larger university and college today, this is more important than ever. Events offer a structured chance to really celebrate the full diversity of the community, build and strengthen connections and demonstrate the care that we have for each other.”
Katelyn echoes this sentiment, pointing specifically to the value of involving the Honors College staff — from student employees to advisors and deans — in an informal, community-wide event. “I think it makes people more approachable and relatable when you can see them outside of their professional role, having fun,” she says. “This not only benefits students but also strengthens our staff team and helps us model the kind of community we aim to foster.”
Looking ahead, students can find additional opportunities to connect at a variety of upcoming Honors College events. One time-honored favorite is the Honors College Community Coffee, also known as HC3, which takes place once per term in the SLUG (the Honors College Student Learning Center in Corvallis, which offers study space, free printing and scanning and a kitchenette in LInC 340). At HC3, students can mingle with HC community members and learn about HC programs, such as London and France study abroad, over coffee and refreshments. Special guest Cedar, Oregon State’s resident wellness dog, will also be present in the SLUG every Wednesday this fall from 1-2 p.m.
Getting involved with HCSA is another great way to build lasting connections with Honors College peers. HCSA meetings are held every Monday from 5-6 p.m. in LInC 268.
For students enrolled in Ecampus or OSU-Cascades — as well as Corvallis students — many Honors College events are accessible by Zoom. Among these are Dean & Friends Conversations, Alumni Pathways events and showcases highlighting both undergraduate and faculty research. OSU-Cascades honors students are also invited to attend the Honors College Community Connections event on Tuesday, November 5, from 3-4 p.m. in Tykeson 111 — a great opportunity to meet fellow Honors College students and staff in person. Details about these and other events can be found on the OSU Events App. All students can stay plugged in to the Honors College community by downloading the app, following @OSUHonors on social media and checking the weekly Monday Message email.
Written by Ana Tracy, HC Student Writer
