The return to in-person and hybrid learning models this fall at the College of Staten Island is sure to bring plenty of foot traffic back to campus in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. CSI’s Student Life and the Dolphins’ Athletics programs will be right there with it, engaging students with plenty of activities, both on and off-campus, designed to raise social activity and school spirit.
For Student Life Associate Director Debi Kee, the return to campus is a welcomed return for enhanced Student Life programming. “I am excited and prepared to meet students where they are and am looking forward to providing as many hybrid programming options as feasible to meet the needs of our in-person and remote learning students,” she said. “It will be wonderful to see some of our students back on campus. I have missed in-person events and the enjoyment and engagement that students participate in through these experiences.”
According to Kee, not only will Student Life continue to offer remote programming like it has done in previous semesters, it will also re-engage the on-campus community with events like the Student Life Information Booth Prize Wheel and Campus Activity Board-sponsored films shown in the Bijou Lounge. In late-September, CSI’s Involvement Fair, one of Student Life’s signature events of the year, will be a blend of both virtual and in-person activity.
“It will be different not having the big welcome carnival and large fanfare event we usually have,” stated Kee, “but I am confident that our pared-down program will still allow students the ability to get to know the involvement opportunities available to them and provide opportunities for students to make connections.”
In September alone, Student Life will also hold various Trivia Tournaments and has plans for an outdoor movie night, part of a lineup that Kee hopes will reinvigorate campus and student relations. “The events we have planned are geared at introducing students to our office and each other. We are in “listening” mode as we begin to develop programs for our student body. I encourage students to reach out to our office to share what types of programming they want to participate in, so that we can begin to craft opportunities that reflect their needs.”
Just a few steps away, CSI’s Athletics Program continues to bustle with activity. The return of intercollegiate sports began this past spring with successful baseball and softball seasons, and the fall semester will mark the start of CSI’s final year as a provisional NCAA Division II member before full membership. Plenty of promise surrounds the Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Cross-Country programs, the foundation to the fall sports seasons. Women’s Soccer starts off the season on September 3, with Men’s Soccer making their home debut on September 11, part of the Bayonne Bridge Cup against Nyack College. CSI also battles their CUNY counterparts at Queens College in late September and they’ve planned plenty of promotion-packed themed games, such as Youth Day, Scarf Day, Soctoberfest, and Team Impact Day, where fans can expect giveaways and promotional programming. All CSI Athletics home contests are free and CLUE events for students.
Now that students and staff are back on campus and fan attendance at games is permitted, CSI Men’s Soccer Head Coach John Tardy is hoping athletic events can serve as a community hub for all students. “After so much time away from campus, this is something a lot of people are looking forward to,” he said. “I think during the course of the pandemic we made great strides in building our brand and our move to DII is something the community is excited about. To be able to have fans in a fun and safe environment, and for us to compete in front of them and build promotions around these events is a big step toward some normalcy and hosting functions that everyone wants to be a part of.”
CSI Athletics also offers students, faculty, and staff a chance to get into the games themselves as part of the Intramural Program, one that consistently provides a dynamic slate of offerings. This fall, the community can take part in gaming competitions like Bingo and International Sports Day, and wellness programs like Intra-FIT Zoom classes, yoga, and Zumba. Specialized “Floor Wars” programming, specific to Dolphin Cove, is something that the staff hopes bridges sound mind and body at the College, according to Intramurals Coordinator Sal Caruso. “Albeit still virtual in many ways, our program aims to provide our community with a range of opportunities that promote social, physical, and educational growth. It’s programming that everyone can be a part of and feel connected with no matter what your interests are.”
Of course, the activities on tap this fall only scratch the surface of offerings the College has to offer. Both Student Life and Athletics have information readily available, so be sure to bookmark their pages for all the latest programming they have in store.
Athletics Intercollegiate Calendar
By David Pizzuto
