Senior year is full of lots of “lasts” — your last first day of college, your last Homecoming week, your last exams, etc. Today, Rowan Blog Contributor Loredonna Fiore reflects on her last Hollybash event experience.
This spring, Rowan University hosted its annual Hollybash event. For those who don’t know, Hollybash is a festival that Rowan After Hours and Student University Programmers host as an end-of-the-year celebration for students. The event has food vendors, carnival games, and a live performance by a musical guest.
As a senior, it was bittersweet to come to my last Hollybash event, but it ended up being my favorite one yet. At check-in, everyone was given reusable Hollybash bags and $10 worth of food vouchers to use at the various food truck vendors at the event. After checking in, my friends and I went straight to the inflatable obstacle course.
The fun continued as we headed to the mechanical bull and bubble-blowing station. As you can see, the weather was beautiful and the good vibes were high.
We then headed to the axe-throwing station, where a representative from Primitive Axe helped us aim and throw the axe right on the bullseye.
Later on in the evening, we came back to check out the live performers. Performers included a band called Earth on Fire, Yung Joc, and the headliner, Noah Cyrus. My friends and I ended up getting a spot right in the front row, so we got to be up close to all of the performers. Noah by far was my favorite.
This event really made me feel connected to the Rowan University community. Seeing everyone come together to play games and listen to live music made the campus seem so small and unified. Getting to attend this event for free made me feel so lucky and #RowanPROUD.
Let’s celebrate this year’s Valentine’s Day by attending some Rowan activities. Down the list are few fun things you can do on Rowan’s campus — it’s worth a shot on a lovely day.
Valentine’s Candy Grams and Bake Sale: Nothing sweeter than candy and treats, right? The Students Save organization is holding a Valentine’s Day bake sale Feb. 14 in the Science Hall atrium. They’re selling homemade goodies, and you can send adorable notes to your loved ones. It gets even better: the funds go towards the Saving Mothers organization. Not only will you get treats, you will also get to support a great service.
Grab a baked good at Science Hall this Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day for Me: Nexus Apartments is providing a fun valentine activity for its residents on Valentine’s Day. You get the chance to create a positive self-reflection collage from old magazines. Specifically, you get to make a gift for yourself. How exciting is that?
Gift yourself at 230 Victoria Street.
Rowan Moves: Every Monday, Campus Recreation promotes a movement challenge like jogging, biking, swimming etc. For each completed movement, you win a cool prize. Get active this Valentine’s Day by joining Rowan Moves. Simply RSVP on ProfLink, download the Strava app, join Rowan Campus Rec, then wait for some challenges to be sent to you.
Join the Campus Rec movement challenge.
Yoga Flow: What about some breathing and stretches? The Campus Recreation Center never fails to engage us with some motions. Yoga lessons are free for students, and you’re welcome to drop in. Disclaimer: spots run out quickly, it’s better to pre-register on the Campus Recreation Center site. Don’t forget your mask!
Check out a Yoga Flow class at the Rec Center (spaces are limited).
There’s much more to do on campus for Valentine’s Day. You can find more events by visiting ProfLink, including volunteering work, virtual sessions and even games.
Story by: Nene Diallo, senior public relations major
Bunce Green is an iconic spot on campus and the setting for quite a few Rowan activities. Read more about what happens at Bunce Green and why it is a popular Rowan destination. What is Bunce Green? In order to answer this question, we must first define what a green is. According to the Merriam-Webster […]
Internship & Experiential Learning Stories Learn how Rowan Profs go Beyond the Classroom to grow professionally, as well as personally, through internships and other experiential learning. Experiential learning includes hands-on learning opportunities provided through research, student clubs, campus leadership, student worker jobs, service-learning projects and volunteerism. In addition, Rowan’s Office of Career & Professional Development provides career support that’s more than just […]
There were lots of options for all kinds of diets! Spanakopita is a savory pastry with spinach and feta cheese. The menu offered meatless options as well as fish, lamb and nut-free dishes! You can also enjoy the seasonal eats located in the park and the shopping centers all around Center City. Dilworth Park hosts […]
Internship & Experiential Learning Stories Learn how Rowan Profs go Beyond the Classroom to grow professionally, as well as personally, through internships and other experiential learning. Experiential learning includes hands-on learning opportunities provided through research, student clubs, campus leadership, student worker jobs, service-learning projects and volunteerism. In addition, Rowan’s Office of Career & Professional Development provides career support that’s more than just […]
I attended a “Learn How to Cook Falafel! with the Arabic Culture Club” event that I learned about through an email from Rowan with things to do. I went to the organization’s table outside of the Student Center to pick up my falafel mix to prepare for the Zoom meeting that night.
Marc staffed the table where I picked up my falafel mix.
Later that evening, I logged onto the Zoom call for the falafel making program. At the beginning of the event Maria Mousa, the vice president of the club, described what the Arabic Culture Club is, and told us that food is a big part of Arabic culture. Then, we started to learn how to make falafel. The Arabic Culture Club (ACC) is a club for people that want to learn more about the culture of Arabic-speaking countries, as well as to help students that want to enter careers that require using the Arabic language.
Club member Faiza Zaman led the lesson on how to make falafel. She showed us how to make our instant mix, but she also showed us how to make homemade falafel. First, we prepared our instant falafel. We mixed it with water and put it in the fridge. Then, she started to show us how to make homemade falafel.
Faiza showed us that to make traditional falafel, you need to boil about 2 cups of chickpeas, and mash them. Then, you add parsley and mix it, but you can add dill or cilantro if you want as well. You also add one diced onion, one squeeze of lemon juice, and one cup of regular flour or chickpea flour. You can leave them overnight if you want as well.
Next, Faiza showed us how to cook falafel, which works for both the instant and homemade kinds. We rolled balls of falafel mix, to shape it.
Then, we fried the balls in oil.
The finished falafel!
I enjoyed the program and I would definitely go back for another meeting!
John Georgy, the president of the Arabic Culture Club.
I spoke to ACC’s president John Georgy, a senior Biological Sciences major with an Arabic minor from Giza, Egypt, who commutes to Rowan from Marlton, NJ (Burlington County). He told me about his experience in the Arabic Culture Club. “The Arabic Culture Club (ACC) is a club for those who are interested in learning about Middle Eastern culture. Members are dedicated to spreading the Arabic culture in the Rowan community. Students who are interested in joining ACC will be able to help disadvantaged communities through donations or volunteering! Our main focus is to spread awareness of the Middle Eastern culture and the events that take place in Arabic countries as well as the rest of the world.
“I joined the Arabic Culture Club because I saw the opportunity to help the Rowan community. Since Rowan provided me with invaluable support throughout my college career, I wanted to give back by helping this club become more prominent which will allow us to hold events like the online falafel event, trips to different areas in NJ like the trip to Paterson, NJ, and fundraising events to help countries in a crisis like Lebanon.
“I love being in ACC because it helped me stay in touch with my cultural heritage as well as help others stay in touch with theirs. The connections that I made by being a part of this club will last till after I graduate. A major part of my participation in this club is being a part of the e-board which has opened my eyes to different types of experiences as well as helped me become a better-disciplined student. Getting to know new members as well as strengthening my relationships with existing members has been an extremely rewarding experience for me.”
Internship & Experiential Learning Stories Learn how Rowan Profs go Beyond the Classroom to grow professionally, as well as personally, through internships and other experiential learning. Experiential learning includes hands-on learning opportunities provided through research, student clubs, campus leadership, student worker jobs, service-learning projects and volunteerism. In addition, Rowan’s Office of Career & Professional Development provides career support that’s more than just […]
Additional Student Wellness Stories Keep reading student wellness stories to learn how Rowan Profs support their mental, physical and emotional well-being. Through Rowan Thrive, Rowan University provides a comprehensive framework designed to help students live in alignment with their values and cultivate resilience across six core areas of well-being.
See what philanthropic events take place at Rowan University as the students remember one of their own. Colette Bleistine was an incredibly inspirational and devoted person, who only knew how to give back. Listen to how people today continue the legacy she left behind. Visit Colette Paying It Forward for more information on Colette’s life […]
At approximately 6:50 a.m. on a Saturday morning this fall, 85 students started lining up at the front patio outside the Student Center. What were they here for? A queue for breakfast? Concert tickets? The new iPhone? Nope. They were here to sign in for Beach Sweep 2017, a statewide initiative led by Clean Ocean […]
As a freshman commuter, I understand the feeling you get the first day of classes. There’s a lot of wondering where to park and where to go after your class. The following are things I wish I knew before attending Rowan University. 1. Take morning classes There are fewer students who take an 8 a.m. […]
You might think the Chamberlain Student Center would be empty on weekend nights, but think again! It’s packed Thursday through Saturday evenings because students are going to Rowan After Hours, known as RAH. Through the Office of Student Activities, RAH puts on events and activities in the Student Center every weekend. In the past there has been Disney themed dinners, a […]
For some, Easter and Christmas are the only times during the year they remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, but Rowan’s Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship remembers all year long and praises the caring God who gave it all. Chi Alpha is a home for students who want to build relationships with God and with other Rowan […]
Something many Rowan students know all too well: spending hours in the library working on an assignment, to finally look up, check the time, and realize it is way past cafeteria hours. You may feel that all hope is lost at this point and your empty, growling belly can never be satisfied. But luckily, Rowan […]
We are so #RowanPROUD to share that junior Kelsey DeFrates was named a 2017 Goldwater Scholar, which is widely considered the most prestigious award in the country for undergraduate students in STEM disciplines. Kelsey is just one of 240 sophomores or juniors across the country who won the award. Way to go, Kelsey! We are […]
Today we speak with Christina Terry, a senior Spanish, secondary education and modern languages and linguistics triple major from Voorhees, Camden County, who lives on campus as an resident assistant in the International House. She will share her #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how she’s getting the most out of her college […]
Ever heard the term “broke college student”? I bet you have. In fact, I hear it almost every day from someone. The truth is, we all go to school hoping to land that dream job one day. But how can a student on a tight budget afford to dress effectively to get that job? Today, […]
Today we speak with Erin Anderson, a junior education and history major from Marlton, Burlington County, who lives off campus. Erin will share her #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how she’s getting the most out of her college experience as a Rowan Prof. Name: Erin Anderson Major: Subject Matter Education: History […]
Today we speak with Nicholas Amorebella, a freshman accounting major from Woolwich Twp., Gloucester County. Nick shares his #PROFspective with us on how he’s getting the most out of his college experience as a Rowan Prof and a co-leader of the Alpha Phi Delta Fraternity interest group, which plans to re-colonize on campus fall 2017. […]
With a tightly packed schedule and seemingly endless responsibilities as a college student, it can be easy to get caught up in the rush of academics and become consumed by stress. We sometimes become so focused on our work and our future that we neglect to take care of ourselves in the present, trading interesting […]
The Resident Assistants (RAs) of Mimosa Hall gathered their residents for the most anticipated game of the year: Super Bowl LI. The lounge was fully decorated with blue and red tablecloths and balloons to correspond with the two teams: Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots. As residents used their RowanCard to swipe in, they received […]
Today we meet Joseph Bittmann, a senior secondary education and history double major from Washington Township, Gloucester County. Joe talks about his #PROFspective on his final year at Rowan and how he’s successfully balancing being a club president, honor student, and Rowan Prof! Name: Joseph Bittmann Major: Dual major in Secondary Education and History within the College of Education […]
Dining for Diversity welcomes students to their biweekly meetings to explore diversity and multiculturalism through the discussion of current local and national events. Sit down with students in an open environment and discuss issues that will impact students, and don’t forget to snack too! So what exactly will you talk about? Political events, historic events, […]
Today we speak with Nicole W. a senior elementary education and English dual major from Washington Township, Warren County, who rents a house off campus. Nicole will share her #PROFspective with us on what it’s like to be a Rowan University student and how she’s getting the most out of her college experience as a […]
Teenage Hollywood movies made up a big chunk of how I imagined college life to be. Crazy parties … lots of them, food fights and little to no homework. There has to be a fraternity or sorority in which you can only get in by passing some humiliating test. And, of course, let’s not forget […]
The end of Thanksgiving and the start of December mark the most wonderful season of the entire year—the holiday season! But as a college student, the three weeks of school between Thanksgiving break and finals are a challenge. Professors bombard you with your last projects and exams. To get you through the next few weeks, […]
If you think donating just one can of food to Rowan’s Thanksgiving “Adopt a Family Service” didn’t go a long way, well, we’ve got news for you. This year, the Rowan community donated enough food to help assist 156 families, breaking last year’s record of 120 families! Giving back must be our middle name. Every […]
Getting the Rowan “college experience” as a commuter isn’t as difficult as stereotypes from years ago suggest. There is no need to worry, our commuters are just as much a part of this campus as anyone else! Just because you don’t live in Chestnut, Holly Pointe or Townhouses, doesn’t mean you can’t show up, have […]
Theorizing at Rowan is a series of lectures covering a broad range of topics about philosophy, religion studies and other related disciplines. All the events are free and open to the public aiming to promote academic exchange within the Rowan University community and scholars throughout the region. You can find the full list of Theorizing […]
Four guest speakers, over 60 students, free food and admission — what else do you need to spend a quality evening outside your classroom? On October 24, 2016, the Philly Ad Club together with the Rowan Ad Club hosted their 3rd annual Perfect Pitch at Rowan University’s Shpeen Hall for students to prepare for careers in […]
