BE S.E.E.N. catalog of activities to engage RU students
With the return of students on Sept. 1st, Radford University kicked off its BE S.E.E.N. (Be Successful Through Engagement and Education Now) 2014 campaign.
The program - established on campus in 2012 - features six weeks of educational community and social opportunities.
Students lined up Tuesday outside of the Share-a-Coke Van, one of many offerings during the campaign's first week, themed "Welcome Highlanders."
"The purpose of the program is to help students connect to the university, said Kenneth Bonk, associate vice president for student affairs/activities. "Research indicates if you can help students connect, we will retain them."
Steve Lerch, RU's coordinator of retention, said there have been numerous studies about retention, many done by Alexander Astin, who developed the "Theory of Student Involvement."
"The basic premise is that student involvement in clubs and organizations, leadership activities and other aspects of campus life is positively correlated with retention and academic success," Lerch said. "Virtually every faculty member I know at RU will confirm this anecdotally: their best students are fully engaged in the life of the campus."
The Share-a-Coke Van sat outside the Hurlburt Student Center on Tuesday as part of RU's BE S.E.E.N. campaign to keep students engaged on campus.
This week offers just a glimpse of activities students can look forward to through the rest of the school year, such as sporting events, clubs, movies, concerts and food giveaways.
Coordinated by the Department of Student Activities, BE S.E.E.N. continues through the week of Sept. 29. The following are themes for the next five weeks:
Week of Sept. 1-7: Wellness, Recreation and Sports Week
Week of Sept. 8-14: Service and Sustainability Week
Week of Sept. 15-21: Academic Success Week
Week of Sept. 22-28: Diversity and Inclusion Week
Week of Sept. 29-Oct. 5: Creative Arts Weeks
For a full schedule of events, visit the Student Activities website.