By Faith Jarrell
Student Life Editor
Washington College’s Center for Environment and Society have held welcome-back events since Saturday, Sept. 16 with a picnic at Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall on the College’s waterfront campus.
From noon until 3 p.m. at SG Hall, there was a picnic targeted towards CES Fellows, but open to all WC students. According to the sign-up for the event, there were “tacos, placeboritas, yard games, compost bucket decorating and more.”
Emma Cease ’22, the experiential learning programs coordinator for CES, was in charge of planning the event and wanted it to be at the start of the semester to better acquaint students with SG Hall.
“It was a really informal kind of laid-back fun event to come down to SG Hall, get familiar with the space, meet some of our staff, and then also get an opportunity to hang out with your fellow [CES] fellows,” Cease said.
The picnic was followed by an adventure course featuring ziplining and high ropes at Go Ape in Bear, Delaware. This event was held on Saturday, Sept. 30 starting at 12:30 p.m. and capped at 12 students. The Go Ape event was open to upperclassmen who were either CES Fellows, had taken part in Chesapeake Semester or Headwaters to Bay, or CES interns.
One student who took part in the Go Ape adventure course was junior Zachary Osucha.
“It was a fun experience and I got to spend time with a lot of people I knew and some I didn’t,” Osucha said. “I love all the CES events they have put on so far. It has been a great array of speaker panels, the mockumentary panel, and other fun excursions that have occurred during past semesters.”
After the Go Ape event, Cease teased other events in the planning stage.
“Moving forward we have a couple of events in the works. I can’t say specifics yet because it’s kind of a surprise,” Cease said. “I know for sure that we’re going to have our end-of-semester celebration, which will be a bonfire with smores, but in between we’ve been tossing around a couple of ideas.”
Osucha, an environmental science major, “highly recommends” other students to go to CES events.
“It’s a great way to hear from experts, experience SG Hall, become more involved with CES, meet new people, have fun with friends, and have some fun events to deviate from academic work,” Osucha said. “Also, the staff at CES are incredibly nice and a great resource for connecting with the Natural Lands Project, ShoreRivers, and other organizations.”
For more information, students can visit the online sign-ups sent out by Cease. Students should also keep an eye out for emails sent about future CES events. Cease also suggests reaching out to staff at SG Hall and at the CES.
“It’s important to know that we’re always down here for the students and anyone doesn’t have to be environmental or fellows. [Students] are welcome down at the center at any time and to reach out to any of the staff. We’re always open, whether it’s just sitting and studying on the deck or anyone has any questions or wants to get more involved,” Cease said.
Elm Archive Photo
Photo Caption: Semans-Griswold Environmental Hall is the headquarters of the Center for Environment and Society.