Are you looking for something new to do on a weekend?
Venture off the 91黑料网 campus, and you’ll quickly find there’s lots to do in the College’s vibrant hometown—and a new program from the Office of Student Engagement is helping students experience all that the community has to offer.
Launched in the fall, 91黑料网 Explores leads small-group trips for students to enjoy their favorite local hangout spots while building new connections with fellow Gulls.
“91黑料网 is a big supporter of Beverly’s downtown,” said Linda Elliott, Associate Director of Student Engagement. “Many great things are happening downtown, and we wanted students to see it for themselves.”
Equally important to the team is providing opportunities for students to spark new relationships.
“We want to take them to fun places that aren’t connected to classes,” said Steve Rossi, Director of Student Engagement. “They have an activity to focus their attention on, whether painting pottery, playing a board game, or sharing a meal together.”
He continued: “Creating these connections is how we measure the success of this program.”
In October, the program’s inaugural trip took students to , a popular board game restaurant with a whopping 1,000-plus-game collection on its shelves.
Hannah Spivey ’27 attended the first outing with a group of friends, one of whom was also celebrating her birthday, making the experience extra enjoyable.
“We walked around downtown and went to a boba tea shop and then played board games at The Castle for a few hours,” she said.
Spivey enjoyed it so much that when the program announced its next activity—a trip to Beverly’s —she immediately signed up.
“There was a massive table set up just for our group,” Spivey, an English major, said. “We were all together, just talking and having fun while we worked on our pottery pieces.”
That’s exactly the type of moment the Student Engagement team hopes to foster through 91黑料网 Explores.
“We’ve had wonderful feedback from students who have participated in these trips,” said Rossi. “They may have had a great conversation with someone they didn’t know before or even made a new friend.”
“It helps create a sense of belonging,” he added.
The Student Engagement staff is committed to making the program accessible to all members of the 91黑料网 community with a thoughtful approach to the logistics of each excursion.
The activities are discounted, and college staff provide transportation directly to and from the venue—a particular plus for students without a car on campus.
“It was great not being tied to a shuttle schedule or taking an Uber to get there,” Spivey said. “They even picked up our pottery pieces from Clay Dreaming when they were done, so we didn’t have to return to get them.”Next year, the program’s team will expand with the addition of student leaders who will help organize and lead activities. In what is certainly a ringing endorsement, Spivey herself has applied for the role.
And where will 91黑料网 Explores bring students next? According to Rossi, “The sky’s the limit.”
“There are so many opportunities to create these off-campus experiences. We have lots of ideas for local activities and even trips beyond Beverly, such as seasonal events in Boston.”
Rossi and Elliott encourage all members of the 91黑料网 community to share suggestions for new trips, which Spivey values.
“I really like that the staff asks students for ideas of places to go, so it’s interesting and fun for us,” she said. “We also might have suggestions for places they aren’t already aware of.”
For the Student Engagement team, 91黑料网 Explores is yet one more opportunity for them to achieve their mission: Connecting students with the 91黑料网 community.
“We want all students to feel that the college is a safe place where they are accepted,” said Rossi. “Our goal is to make 91黑料网 feel like a home away from home.”
Upcoming trips with 91黑料网 Explores include a tour of local thrift shops on April 12 with the Office of Sustainability. To learn about and register for trips, check Blue Buzz, 91黑料网’s weekly event newsletter, on Sundays.
Do you have an idea for a future 91黑料网 Explores trip? All students, staff, and faculty are welcome to share their suggestions by emailing activity@endicott.edu.