Author Archives: Emily Norman

EOP Student Association hosts indoor carnival to destress before finals

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STONY BROOK – On Wednesday night, SAC Ballroom A was transformed into an indoor carnival to keep students minds on fun and off of finals.

The circus themed event was organized by the Educational Opportunity Program Student Association to serve as a de-stressor for students in a time of impending examinations.

“I wanted to get out,” said student attendee from the School of Social Work, Nicole Nagey. “I have been studying all week so this is like a break, especially since it doesn’t cost anything.”

Attendees had a variety of games and activities to choose from. A photo booth was set up by the entrance with props for attendees to create funny photos, a popular attraction that lasted all night. Games like ring toss, darts, and bowling encouraged students to play as many times as they wanted to earn tickets.

Depending on the amount of tickets earned, students could get prizes ranging from a rubiks cube to a portable charger.

One of the main features was a bull ride which stood front and center, creating lines of students waiting for their chance to get thrown off the bull.

The idea of getting thrown off of a mechanical bull is the opposite of bothersome for many who have been overwhelmed with the amount of work they needed to complete as the end of the semester looms near.

Lazaro Rivera, the Undergraduate Student Government Sophomore Senator, attended the carnival to relieve stress from finals and classes. “Events like these make me feel relieved; they take the stress off. I get to just hang out and not worry about my finals,” said the 19 year old Psychology and English major.

A live DJ kept the party going with music that had everyone dancing and students hovered over the large array of concessions. Like most carnivals, popcorn and cotton candy were made on the spot while trays of funnel cake and hot pretzels were served. Those with a sweet tooth had the option of using caramel and powdered sugar as toppings or skipping the food altogether and going straight for the ice cream.

The turnout was a lot higher than expected, says EOP Student Association president, Chrissey Celissaint.

“I wasn’t expecting this many people,” said the senior health science major. “I wanted to do this last semester but space was short so I am glad we actually got it done this time.”

Many of the students were glad the carnival was done this semester too. With the abundance of snacks and activities to do, some students expressed how happy they were to have another form of procrastination.

“I saw on the facebook page. I have been watching a lot of Youtube videos but I know I have to go back to studying,” said Srishti Katuri, a 19 year-old freshman biology and psychology double major who found out about the event through Facebook.

In order to be admitted into the carnival, students had to bring school supplies as the entrance fee.

Celissaint says that the SA plans on giving the supplies to incoming EOP students.

“We thought about giving it to new students so they have something fresh to start with,” she said. “It’s good to have something new.”

2017 EOP Admitted Student Day

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STONY BROOK N.Y. – This Saturday at Stony Brook University, students admitted into the Educational Opportunity Program were able to understand what it really means to call themselves Seawolves.

On April 8th, the university hosted its annual Admitted Students Day to welcome the Class of 2021. A group of almost 200 EOP admitted students spent their afternoon in the Student Activities Center Ballroom A learning about what awaits them in both the fall and summer.

The event was led by EOP Director Cheryl Hamilton who has been a part of EOP for 23 years.

“It’s my hope that you all choose Stony Brook,” said Hamilton. “But it is also my hope that you all choose a school that’s right for you.”

While most visitors were learning about classes and housing, prospective EOP students wanted to know about their upcoming summer. The Pre-Freshman Summer Academy, which will run from July 8th to August 11th this year, was the hot topic with many students wanting to know just what exactly is in store for them. The cell phone ban was emphasized many times, with many genuinely perplexed and concerned about their lack of communication.

A series of student panels helped to ease the students nerves, with freshman students who had just completed the summer program sharing their experiences.

The number one thing they got out of the summer? Friends. Current students emphasized that although the program is hard they all worked together, building strong everlasting bonds that carried out into the fall semester.

The support of the Residential Assistants was also brought up as a great resource for students. The RAs will be in the dorms at the same time as the students, providing them with any extra help they may need both academic and personal.

“The EOP program provided me with the opportunity to provide a good life for my family,” said Bedel Saget, a sports journalist at the New York Times. “It was instrumental in who I am and my success.”

Saget is a Stony Brook University EOP Alumni who graduated in 1988 with a BA in Liberal Studies. As President-Elect of the Alumni Association Board, Saget has been involved in numerous EOP activities, proving to be a great example for students of what they can achieve.

Getting admitted into Stony Brook University is no easy feat. More than 7,000 people applied for a limited EOP class of 200. According to Michelle Curtis Bailey, EOP coordinator and Senior Admissions Advisor, there is currently a waitlist of 406 students.

The next step for these future seawolves is to attend orientation in June. Students have until May 1st to secure their spot at Stony Brook University.

Prospective EOP Students Get A Taste of College Through An Online Chat

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STONY BROOK – Students newly admitted into Stony Brook University’s Educational Opportunity Program gained valuable insight about college life from an online chat on Monday night.

The annual EOP Admitted Student Chat is hosted by the Admissions Office to allow prospective students a chance to learn about what they can expect if they were to choose Stony Brook as their college. One of the best features is that new students can speak with current students who share their experiences firsthand.

“You can provide the students with a real perspective,” Kelly Bollhofer, the EOP Admissions Assistant Director, told the volunteers.

Bollhofer and EOP Coordinator Michelle Curtis-Bailey teamed together with current EOP students to greet the newcomers on the chat. Though it was a student led chat, they were there to provide more technical information about the university that the regular students may not know.

As expected, the chat was filled with a constant stream of questions about the upcoming EOP pre-freshman summer program.

The summer program happens every summer for admitted EOP students. In order to be guaranteed a full spot for the fall semester the students will have a to take and pass four classes, earning them a maximum of six credits.

“Why can’t we bring cell phones?”

That question constantly echoed throughout the chat, with students genuinely perplexed by EOP’s stringent summer program rule.

The purpose of the ban is to keep students focused on their work, with minimal distractions present. Most students cannot fathom the idea of being without their phones, but EOP students had to endure that for the full 5 week program.

Aside from inquiring about the lack of cell phones, students wanted to know if the pre-freshman summer program truly helped.

“I have benefitted from the Summer Academy because it allowed me to acclimate to the university before the semester started,” said Isaiah Mann, a current EOP freshman student. “If it wasn’t for EOP, I would have had a pretty bad first year.”

This years rigorous program will run from July 8th to August 11th.