The Provost’s Office, in collaboration with the Division of Student Life (DSL) and Associated Students of Mills College (ASMC), put on the annual Spring Fling event on Wednesday, March 20 in the Student Union from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The Spring Fling gathers students and teachers together to raise awareness of potential majors and offer classes to consider in the fall.
“The event has been traditionally hosted by the Provost’s Office and the Center, and the Provost’s Office does the departments and the academic side of things,” ASMC President Mariana Sauceda said. “This year the ASMC wanted to take on more of a role to host more attractions and fun things, so we arranged for the Boba tea truck, the caricature artists and things like that.”
However, due to the rain forecast, the original plans for the event had to be altered.
“So there was a couple things that we had to reschedule, it was originally planned to be on the meadow, and we had a rock climbing wall and different inflatable slides, and we had to modify the activities for the event,” Sauceda said.
Although original plans had to be changed, Sauceda hopes that ASMC can continue to help create campus excitement around school events such as the Spring Fling.
“It feels nice to see all the students out,” ASMC Resumer Senator Brenda Miles said.
Miles said she provided support for certain stations and volunteered to disburse meal tickets to students who are not enrolled in a meal plan for the event.
“I think that the caricature studio is really poppin’, like everyone should get a caricature done because that’s a very unique feature that we don’t always get on-campus,” Miles said.
The caricature station was headed by two visiting artists, one of whom was Wolfgang Niesielski, who upon reflecting on his career shared some advice.
“You can do whatever you want to do in life, just be true to yourself,” Niesielski said.
Niesielski, who is originally from Germany, began to draw caricatures as a young artist on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
“For a number of years now we’ve been having an event in the spring that’s designed to help students to look at their academic options to learn more about different majors that they might not have explored in the past, and also just to think about what courses they might take and talk to faculty members,” Mills Provost and Dean of the Faculty Chinyere Oparah said.
Oparah mentioned that her office reached out to the student body for feedback on improving events such as the Spring Fling, and that there was a general consensus among students for a more dynamic approach to conducting these events.
“I think [Spring Fling is] a great event, it’s a great way for people to spend a lunch time, and for individuals to learn more about academics, have some fun and mingle,” said Oparah.
Despite the event being moved from Holmgren Meadow to the Student Union due to the weather conditions, the administration felt it was a success.
“I think people have enjoyed being in here. It’s a little bit more intimate, we’re all kind of packed in together and so we’re forced to talk with each other, inside or out, it’s always a great opportunity for faculty to get to talk to students,” Oparah said.
Oparah concluded the event by thanking the efforts of faculty, staff and students who contributed to make this event a success.
