Campus Activities is racking up plenty of kudos from Lake students this semester. 

The office has made some subtle changes this year as some may have noticed in attending this year’s Spirit Day events. For those who are new to the Lake, Spirit Day once stood on a day of its own, consisting of food, fun and celebration. Only now it has been combined with Lakeapalooza, which includes live bands and an outdoor backdrop. 

“Our ultimate goal was to find a way to combine both events in order to give everyone a chance to come out and celebrate,” Mary Scotka, director of Campus Activities and University Center, said.  “Every year students want bigger and better activities, so we thought it would be a great idea to merge and supersize the event.”

So what else occupies the down time of Lake students? For many college students, it’s setting out on an adventure downtown and doing as the locals do. 

But for others, such as Kimberly Morin, an 18-year-old freshman from Robstown, “it’s catching up on sleep and resting as much as possible.  On the weekends I try my best to spend time with my family.  I’m usually busy all week long so I really try my best to fit some time in for them.”

When asked how she felt about the activities the university has to offer, she said, “I absolutely love campus activities, considering I am always on campus, and not to mention it’s a great way to meet new people.”

According to Scotka, “A lot of planning that comes out of our office is spearheaded through our five charters, UPC, LIFE, RSO, SGA and Lake Ambassadors.  A large portion of campus activities does come out of our budget so we’re always trying to come up with new and creative ways to keep students involved with the university as well as the community.”  

For some students, though, the city beckons. “There is so much more to this city than just being on campus all the time. I guess if you’re from here you really don’t have to look very far to find something new,” said Obed Rodriguez, a junior from Harlingen.  “My freshman year I rode the bus, walked and got rides from friends, it’s tough if you don’t have a car.”

Other students find more creative ways to spend their free time.

“I like to sneak into the movies when something good comes out, but ‘good’ is never worth $8,” said Ramon Ray, a 19-year-old junior from San Francisco. “And the VIA takes me everywhere,” he said.
For the most part it seems as if the school is doing its part in keeping students satisfied. Adding the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with a men’s soccer team and women’s volleyball team is already a huge step for the university.

Students are looking toward seeing even more sporting events on campus. “I think the university has a lot more to offer as far as athletics, but I still think there could be more,” said Brittney Barton, a sophomore.

Scotka added, “Only time will tell what is in store for our university’s future.  Our ultimate goal is to stay up to date with planning and executing effective events and leadership development among students.”