As the final quarter of the school year began, Seattle Pacific University’s Student Programming and Outdoor Recreation Program took students to a galaxy far, far away.
On Friday, April 7, after much preparation, SPU students were given the opportunity to go to Royal Brougham Pavillion for a “Star Wars” themed night of games and activities, which gave everyone who attended a night filled with fun and excitement.
The event began with students arriving at Royal Brougham to find it filled with “Star Wars” items and activities. From an arts and crafts section to a 360-degree photo station to a concession stand with food and drinks, every corner of the building had something for attendees to enjoy.
By far, the biggest crowds were found in line for the main event of the evening, the laser tag section. Assembled largely with their friends, students lined up to play with others who attended.
The event continued late into the evening, and as students left Royal Brougham, many continued to talk about the night. The telltale signs of a successful event were all there, and once again, STORP created a night that engaged students throughout campus.
As the event ended, STORP leaders expressed their pride in their accomplishments. STORP advisor Chuck Strawn shared how he felt looking back at how the event unfolded and his favorite aspects of the night.
“It’s amazing to see students gathering together to build relationships and build community,” Strawn said. “It’s incredible to watch student leaders pull all this together. My next thought is how we can build on that since we had to shut things down during COVID-19, so how can we keep events like this going? It was a great event, not a super elaborate event. But I thought it went really, really well.”
As the event finished, many students were left with exciting highlights of the evening. Mario Esquivel, a third-year political science major, shared what he considered the best part of the night.
“I thought that all of the stuff that they set up was pretty cool,” Esquivel said. “I feel like they probably put a lot of hard work into all of this and it was fun to be able to try a bunch of the events that they had put together for tonight, so that was something I enjoyed.”
Some students favored the personal connections that were fostered during the evening. Mariela Gallart, a first-year fashion merchandising major, stated that she liked attending the event with her friends and enjoyed experiencing what the night had to offer with them.
“I thought that it was a fun event, and I liked the laser tag part the most,” Gallart said. “I really liked coming with my friends, and I liked how we were able to come to be a part of the event together. That was probably what my favorite part of all of it was.”
As another spring quarter begins, STORP shows no signs of stopping as they continue to bring big events to SPU. When speaking about the future of STORP’s activities, Strawn shared a hope that the organization will embrace future leaders and work with them to fill the rest of the school year with many more fun events and activities.
“I know that [STORP is] already moving forward with some pretty great events going forward,” Strawn said. “We’re really excited for everything coming up. One thing I love about the spring quarter is that that’s when they select the new band of leaders, so they can start thinking with them about what fall looks like.”
