Robin Glynn – Staff Writer –
Pro-Con has begun to welcome students back to campus with their first events which include a movie night featuring “The Hunger Games” and their annual welcome back dance.
Erica Casalaina, Pro-Con’s senior programmer, said that they try to do one big event a month. One of the big events from September is the Welcome Back Concert featuring the New Boyz.
“They have a whole bunch of stuff to choose from,” said Alicia Butler, a music major.
According to Pro-Con, they work to provide programs to enrich student life through a broad range of social, cultural, educational and recreational activities.
Events planned for the fall semester include a trip to the Big E, karaoke nights, a trip to Hershey Park, and free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at 1 p.m.every Thursday at Engleman B121. There will also be a W.O.W. Cereal Buffet, novelty events and Thursday Night Owls events. Others movies planned for movie night include “The Amazing Spiderman,” “Step Up 4,” “Ted” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”
ProCon will show Spiderman as part of its movie night events.
“I think they did a really good job,” said Butler. “They tend to put a lot of diverse things that everyone is into.”
Kristin Reinwald, a communications disorders major, said Pro-Con does have a variety of events to choose from.
“Since they have to serve a very diverse community,” said Reinwald, “I’d say the selection covers a good amount of student interest.”
But Reinwald thinks Pro-Con is only semi-commuter friendly.
“It would be nice if there were more activities offered during the day on campus or early evening,” said Reinwald. “Some commuters are unable to stay on campus later when many of these activities are due to rides, distance, etc. so we miss out on things that are fun just because we do not live on campus.”
Casalaina said that Pro-Con is commuter friendly. Advice Casalaina gave commuters attending a Pro-Con event that gets out late is to warn campus police that you are attending.
Butler thought that Pro-Con does a good job at reaching commuters.
“With a university where 80 percent of the population lives on campus, it can be a little tough sometimes to get to the people who don’t live on campus. They make it a pretty wide in variety. If we have to time to come to one of the things, we’ll go. They make it pretty diverse,” said Butler.
Students like Butler have taken advantage of the events that are offered. Two years ago, Butler went on a trip to New York City to see “Shrek the Musical.” This semester, ProCon is planning another trip to NYC on Nov. 10 to see the musical “Wicked.”
“It was a really good deal,” said Butler about the Shrek trip. “You paid $50 and you had the whole day to spend shopping.”
Butler said that she is looking forward to “Wicked” and the trip to the Big E if she is able to go.
“That would be cool to go and not worry about driving and parking,” said Butler. “And you’re there all day.”
Casalaina said Pro-Con plans events for music, entertainment, special events and social issues.
“We try to do one to two per semester for each,” said Casalaina.
Casalaina said Pro-Con is one of the largest organizations on campus, but for some events, Pro-Con teams up with the Student Government Association and Residence Hall Association. They are the three main program clubs on campus.
Casalaina said that students who want more information about upcoming events can stop by the Pro-Con office in the Student Center.
