Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion's Roar
The 27th annual Strawberry Jubilee, hosted by the Campus Activities Board and held at the Student Union War Memorial Park, gave students and faculty the chance to relax, eat free food and enjoy the tables set up by student organizations.
Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Eric Summers cut the traditional strawberry cake along with Miss Southeastern 2017 Kristyn Gary.
“It’s one of my favorite events of the year, and obviously it is one of the students’ favorite events because they show up in great numbers,” said Summers. “This gives them a nice break from the academic side to kind of relax and let the hair down and enjoy some good friends and good food. It kind of helps to relieve the stress in the classroom.”
Gary enjoyed being a major part of the festivities as Miss Southeastern, but also enjoyed the excitement that all students have at the event.
“I think it is a fun tradition that Southeastern has, and I am really honored to be a part of it,” said Gary. “Kind of being on the other side of things with helping the administration cut cake and everything, it definitely is different. But it is still just the same. I am still a student here and feels just as fun.”
Something that was new to Strawberry Jubilee was a dunking booth by the Pre-Law Student Association table.
“We knew people always do food and water at Strawberry Jubilee and we wanted to do something with games and whatnot,” said Vy Tran, president of the Pre-Law Student Association. “Having a dunk tank was one thing, but we wanted it to appeal to students and what better way than to dunk your own professors? The teachers that volunteered actually sent an email that said, ‘Want a chance to get back at your professors? Here is your chance with a promise of no point reduction in your grades.’”
Dr. Lisa Olson, the advisor for the Pre-Law Student Association was one of the three professors that volunteered to be dunked.
“Out of 15 or so professors in our department, they asked everybody and got three,” said Olson. “The dunking part caught me a little off guard the first time. I kind of went all the way down.”
Students loved the free food and the laid-back atmosphere but it was the student organization tables that found ways to entertain the students at Strawberry Jubilee. They took this opportunity to not only entertain their peers but to also inform them about important topics.
“What I enjoyed the most was the Made Men booth where they had the virtual reality thing about how you are not suppose to text and drive,” said sophomore music education major Lupita Mirafuentes. “I think that was really interesting because that is not anything related to finals or food it’s just something that opens your eyes.”
The Health Center also took a fun approach to giving out important information to students.
“We have a little wheel that we spin and it has different health risk behaviors for college students,” said Marlise Eschete, a graduate research assistant for the health department.
But what everyone enjoyed was the time to not think about finals week and all of the assignments that will be due in the final two weeks of the semester.
“It’s just a nice break and a nice time to be around other students,” said sophomore family and consumer science major Javunte Andrews. “I love the free food, I love the free T-shirts and I love the fellowship.”
Ms. Southeastern 2017 Kristyn Gary and Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Eric Summers kicked off Strawberry Jubilee and kept tradition by cutting the cake together.
Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion’s Roar
Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion's Roar
Dr. Lisa Olson, assistant professor of criminal justice and the advisor to the Pre-Law Student Association, helped her students raise money by volunteering to be in a dunk booth for Strawberry Jubilee.
Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion’s Roar