You may be able to include local restaurants to participate. Learn more about us here. Ashley Austin specializes in topics such as event planning, skincare, health, decor, and lifestyle. Event themes Listicle College events shape the social and intellectual fabric of your university. Laughter is a great stress reliever, so comedys an ever-popular event choice for students loaded down with exams, jobs, and extracurricular activities. Online events can also be more comfortable for introverts among us, who may prefer making connections while maintaining a certain distance. For details on how to start a campus TEDx, visit the website. Tip:By the end of the fundraiser, there will certainly be lots of extra paper cranes lying around! Students love food, so play with the idea of a taco or burger crawl. You can also meet your fundraising efforts by setting up shop across campus and selling other tasty grab-and-go snacks. Hold a "puppy-kissing" booth where stressed students can pet a dog for $1 to raise money for local animal shelters. Pro tip: quality sound equipment can really enhance the experience. You could either provide the supplies or have students bring their own. Ask participants to bring their own drums hand drums such as bongos or even handmade and recycled drums or see if your schools music department has some spares. Spartan races are famous for their obstacles combining mud crawling, wall climbing, rope swinging, spear throwing, and more. Wondering how to throw events that college students will actually want to attend? 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It can be free-form, where everyone drums to their own beat, or the circle might be led by a conductor who offers direction and encourages everyone to participate. Manystudents struggle with food insecurity and would greatly benefit from access to healthy, affordable ingredients. Itll be a lot of fun for students. Run online contests with enticing prices and take advantage of social media engagement one of the primary communication methods for modern students. This can help you facilitate democracy in your community and empower others. Encourage attendees to dress up and enjoy an evening with the local orchestra, or show their school spirit by attending a performance of the schools music department ensembles. Student life can be incredibly stressful. You could partner with a local charity or organization. Help your student body put their best foot forward. Tip: Craft possibilities include painting pots for easy-to-care-for plants like succulents or ferns; decorating picture frames or book ends; tie-dying wall hangings. Dating Smarter with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Carla Manly, How To Be An Interviewer For The First Time. Creative alumni event ideas like this will provide laughs for players and non-players alike, and some of the revenue can be set aside as a scholarship fund or whatnot. You could either have your own book club or partner with a local organization. Schools without an ample A/V supply can host mini-tournaments in each dorm and ask students to bring their own monitors and game systems. Everybody loves movies, which is even more fun when watched in groups. 3. Just be sure students stick around afterward to help clean up! Sell coffee for $1 in the libraries during finals and donate the money to a scholarship fund to help more students attend college. While inherently less personal than an in-person event, an online event has other advantages, including expanding your networking base to more geographic regions. Give students free 10 minute massages and the line will be out the door. Include a petting zoo with goats, sheep, and other barnyard animals. Bengaluru, Karnataka. And with blood and platelets in critically short supply, blood drives can be a true lifesaver. Spirit week is always a lot of fun, and its perfect for students who love to dress up. Swords and sorcery not your thing? Pro tip: UseEventbrite Boost to be sure your event marketing strategy gets an A+. A renaissance fair harkens back to the days of knights, nobles, lords, and ladies, recreating a time gone by. Donating blood is always a good thing to do, and its perfect for college students who want to help out those in need. You can also set up a bake sale or even hot dog eating contest on the side to gain even more in donations. Free Event Management Software for Planners and Properties. Consider working with a student-led organization to co-host an event that promotes or explores their mission. A fun run is similar to a5K or marathon it emphasizes enjoyment instead of a serious race or competition. Are you looking to host college events that students will actually want to attend? On-Campus Entertainment Ideas Not every weekend at college needs to be all about tailgating and keggers. More than just about any other demographic, college students are always on the look out for new opportunities to socialize, learn something new, and eat some free food while theyre at it. These programs create a rewarding, one-on-one experience for students. A drum circle is simply a group of people coming together to drum. Leave easter eggs all around campus with little prizes in them. Would it appeal to the typical college-age demographic or is your ideal audience a little more specific? This will help current students earn some extra income, and they will be able to share personal anecdotes about the area in addition to credible tips from the eyes of a student. Volunteering at a homeless shelter is a great way to help those in need. Create a campus-wide event by holding a race, fun-run, or walkathon around school grounds. Tip:With this many devices in one room, it may be advisable to ensure that the computers are equipped with virus protection and that every outlet has surge protectors! You could either partner with a local cooking organization or have your own class. to promote positive change. Karaoke. Connect with the agriculture department to teach tour attendees about endangered species in the area and local environmental conservation organizations they can work with. Language clubs are a perfect fit for an online event. If you make a purchase, GenTwenty may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Contact your schools archery club about including a Robin Hood-inspired display of bow-and-arrow skills. The Open Mic. Wacky Obstacle Course Almost like the 5K run, a wacky obstacle course is a good idea for college students and will still appeal to the masses. Host a trivia night Trivia nights are always popular and they are a great way to get students engaged. Theatre productions are always a lot of fun, and students will love the chance to see one on campus. Have participants dress in themed costumes for extra fun, or make it a fundraiser with pledges for laps completed. A poetry slam puts spoken word performance front and center. Be sure to provide all of the supplies students will need. Come up with a list of themes and some basic ground rules on length and subject matter. Ask your universitys alum relations department for contact information. In addition, this position must be effective and savvy in media (social, other), communications, and stakeholder engagement. While outdoor games and events are great for getting students out of their rooms and off their screens, we know the weather doesnt always cooperate. Hosting a big Halloween event on campus is a really exciting activity for students and student organizations to connect with new folks and create wonderful memories! For a refined take on the rowdy bar crawl, get your group to try a stimulating gallery crawl to check out the latest art, sculpture, and photography exhibits. You can invite high school students as a way to encourage them to pursue college degrees or get a sense of what college can be like. Invite parents to join during orientation or visitor weekends and include senior students in the tour staff. It can be challenging, however, for businesses, organizations, and evenuniversity event plannersto come up with creative college event ideas that actually work. Be sure to have a variety of comedians for students to choose from. Alternatively, host an open mic night and encourage students to try out their best routines. Provide potential attendees with a biography of the speaker, their accomplishments, and the unique perspective they bring to the table. DIY crafts are always a lot of fun, and theyre perfect for students who love to be creative. Google Art and Culture. Whether your school is a residential or commuter campus, events play a crucial role in college life. Offer a chapter scholarship or book award (money towards textbooks) for members only. Campus Relay for Life is a particularly popular club that exists to benefit cancer research, cancer patients, and families touched by cancer. For more ways to make your on-campus event stand out andimprove student engagement, check out these fun event ideas for college students. University life is about fun and learning, and what better way to help that mission than with community events that give back? Laser tag is always a blast, and students will love the chance to compete against each other. Lastly, a festival isnt complete without eats. This is the fourth consecutive year that GCC has held this competition, which is open to GCC student-entrepreneurs to pitch their business or product ideas. They involve a lot of creativity on the part of the participants and can be adapted perfectly to your event. A group gets on a bus and hops around town visiting local bars and indulging. The best way to boost student engagement is to be creative, innovative, and include student input. Indoor games dont have to require athleticism. Provide students with mobile-friendly content andpromote events on social media. Like the gallery crawl model, city or museum tours can include visits to natural history museums, botanical gardens, and architectural sites. Or put the pedal to the metal with a go-kart race at a nearby indoor or outdoor track. Eventbrite Boost makes it easy to reach new people, engage your fans and followers, and grow your attendance directly from your Eventbrite account. Partner with local fitness instructors to host yoga, pilates, or othercreative outdoor eventsin the park. Door decorating contests are perfect for students who love to be creative. Invite your campus next Steven Spielberg or Jordan Peele to show their stuff on the big screen. Remember! When youre ready to promote your events, use. Mac-and-brie-en-croute, anyone? Create groups and promote events on Facebook, create catchy hashtags andfun photo opportunities for students to snap and post online. Theyve been celebrated in agricultural regions for perhaps thousands of years. College edition! Well, not all crawls have to be alcohol-related! Be sure to have a lot of Christmas-themed games for students to play. Paint Night: Organize an instructor-led step-by-step art class. Survey students to connect with them and discover what they care about most. We follow the high principles . Ice-breaker games can be a bit trite. Its time to shift your perspective. Any working professional will likely tell you that success depends more on who you know than what you know. Christmas is the perfect time for a party, so why not have one on campus? One-by-one, show the photos to the crowd on a projector screen and ask students to try to identify the person pictured. Will it be sports games, strategy games, first-person shooter games, simulations, or a combination? Capturing such talks on video makes for powerful, potentially viral social media. Movie Marathon. Have a Thanksgiving feast on campus and let students bring their favorite dishes to share. You could either choose a theme or let students come up with their own ideas. Fun fact: Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island and Dr. Games designed for indoor events are the perfect solution. What is hard is creating one that will be able to compete with everything else that is going on around campus. Tip:Be sure to invite any student organizations that perform music on your campus, from any acapella groups to the official marching band. Have participants dress in themed costumes for extra fun, or make it a fundraiser with pledges for laps completed. Blank canvasses are metaphorical for a new school year, so it's a great fit for a campus event. 3. Super Smash Brothers, FIFA, and Call of Duty are fan favorites. Encourage mentorship connections for new students, students in the LGBTQ+ community, those who struggle with addiction or grieving, and so on. Some students love to compete, testing themselves constantly against their peers. The goals can be anything: taking a photo at a campus landmark, for example, or finding a specific treasure in a particular location. Provide a 24-48 hour time limit for those students to write, direct, edit, and produce a short film. You could either provide coloring books and pencils or have a contest to see who can color the best picture. Contact your local farmers market about providing locally grown fruits, vegetables, cheeses, honey, and meats. Many students are away from home for the first time and may need anicebreakerto connect with others. So, contact local restaurants and food trucks about offering easy finger foods. Events are a great way to introduce fresh ideas, opportunities, and products to a new audience. This may especially helpful to senior students who are about to graduate. As far as event ideas for college students go, the open-mic is a tried and true classic that never fails to please. You could either go to a local bowling alley or have a bowling tournament. Here are three of our favorite fundraising community event ideas. Local businesses can set up tables and sell themed goods. You could have a variety of music genres or stick to one type. Peerspace uncovers thousands of unique spaces in hundreds of cities, providing fabulous places to meet and celebrate. Participants bring clothes to trade with each other as they try out new looks. You could either partner with a local meditation organization or have your own class. Local cafs can refuel students and soothe their throats after the scream-a-thon. While softball games and volleyball matches are always popular, mix things up with alternative sports competitions such as ultimate frisbee or paintball. Donation drives are a fantastic way to bring the community together through a common goal of helping others in need. Shooting and editing short films has never been easier. Team up with an off-campus organization to promote and orchestrate a meaningful community event. Keep your physical and digital class materials organized using a three-ring binder and Google Drive. University life is ideal for exposing students to a variety of art and culture, with campuses often serving as a hub for musicians, writers, and other artists. A festival combines a main activity or theme with events that might occur over a weekend or the course of days. As the name implies, speed interviews are similar to speed dating. We provide complete solution to organize an event. Coordinate with the Red Cross, a local hospital, or your university hospital to provide the necessary phlebotomists and equipment. Unfortunately, many high schools dont prepare students with valuable life skills like budgeting, cooking, basic home repair, or filing taxes. Ask a professor from the Biology department with knowledge of plant species and biodiversity to lead a tour of local parks and nature trails. Creators who used Boost marketings tools saw 2.5x more listing views*. Help new students pimp their dorm room with some easy, DIY decor. Invite area critics and choose a panel of judges to pick the winner. Mastering skills like basic auto repair or home maintenance will help students become more independent. Both can easily be enjoyed onscreen thanks to the magic of the internet. Serve appetizers and drinks for a more relaxed atmosphere. Who doesnt love a free massage? Funds can be raised either by ticket sales for entry, by pricing the clothing individually, or by some combination of the two. Location: Austin, TX. Think Amazing Race, but without the multi-million-dollar broadcast network budget. Youll find role-playing games set in the world of international spies, a post-nuclear holocaust, and a city full of superheroes, too! In between a chorus of squeals about each cute photo, students will have the opportunity to really look at their peers. Light up your campus for the holidays with a festive tree lighting ceremony. Thanks to Netflixs massively popular Stranger Things, interest has exploded. it emphasizes enjoyment instead of a serious race or competition. Delegating roles helps provide a sense of ownership and develop leadership skills. Of course, your competition can be as friendly and straightforward as you like the simpler it is, the more likely people will feel up to the challenge and decide to participate. Alternatively, impress the history department with out-of-fashion historical games like three-card brag or organize a round of the classic French. Coordinate periodic check-in events to maintain contact. Likewise, consider the genre(s) to be featured. Get all the support you want for your events because we know hospitality matters. But make sure your cooking classes have an enticing theme and plan easy, cheap, and college-student-friendly dishes. HR can ask the coworkers to wear a . Lay down some green felt across your tabletops and use chips instead of coins for a more authentic experience. Alumni speakers are always a great way to get students excited about an event. Invite popular indie rock bands and hip-hop artists, and coordinate with the university art department about showcasing student works. Include displays of falconry or blacksmithing to set the mood. Pick a day to showcase entries in a theater setting, complete with snacks and awards, and sell tickets via Eventbrites, Host a workshop where students can make their own dorm room decor think plant hangers, terrariums, or recycled frames for their art. Whats the longest-running show in Broadway history? El Cajon, CA 92020, Custom Frosted Glass Decals & Etched Glass Window Film, Digital & Graphic Design Trends of 2021 [Infographic], The Digital & Graphic Design Trends of 2020 [Infographic], 8 Gripping & Versatile Experiential Marketing Concepts [Infographic], 9 Creative Trade Show Booth Ideas [Infographic]. Encourage students to shop their peers closets and for a good cause! Three Glendale Community College (GCC) students won a total of $5,000 in prize money at the GCC Innovation Challenge, held on February 16th in the GCC Student Union. Speak to your universitys facilities department about using a field or similar outdoor area. The opportunities are endless! 15. Hit up a student fitness-buff to lead an all-levels workout class in an open space on campus. An easter egg hunt is perfect for the spring semester once it starts to get warm out. An online meet-and-greet can be a great solution if youre looking for virtual business event ideas for college students. Not every weekend at college needs to be all about tailgating and keggers. Industry-Specific Conference or Training. Throw a graduation party for all of the students who will be graduating. Check out these 100 college event ideas that are perfect for any campus! Appeal to what matters to students when attempting to attract them to events. Millennials love expressing their values online, but 80% of them feel its, essential for people to come together in person. and the Pixies) got its name for a reason. By organizing concerts, you can raise funds by: Charging a fee for participation Raising funds through ticketing Selling merchandise In the current scenario of a pandemic, such events can be a health hazard. And dont forget to match the theme with authentic cuisine. Host a charity auction and have students bid on various items. All you have to supply is the instructor, the PA system, the space, maybe a few retractable outdoor banner stands to mark the spot and make it official, and the collection jars. With a great event idea, some creative promotion posters, strategic way-finding signs, and eye-catching event decor, students will quickly take notice and show up in droves. Get your own design on the t-shirts, or get a designer on board. One simple way to do this is to organize a community-wide charity drive in a central, easy-to-access location. Be sure to have a variety of games for students to choose from. STEP ONE: Assemble Your Committee. This will be a treat for movie lovers. You get a book debate a fresh spin on the ever-popular book club concept. and the Pixies) got its name for a reason. Depending on whether or not your college has the right hardware available, you can either supply the computers, network cards, and headsets yourself, or specify that the game night is BYO-gear. And while many college students are computer experts, they may lack business skills like creating formulas in Excel or using tables in Word. The past few years have seen the passing of some of popular musics most beloved idols. Schools should ensure that their digital connectivity is up to par by automating student communication, creating online hubs for assistance, and promoting social media use. Scavenger hunts are always a lot of fun, and theyre perfect for a day or night out. Host a Netflix party and play some popular shows. Just be sure to clear your calendar wargaming classics like Squad Leader and Warhammer can take place over days or weeks. Teach students how to cook their favorite dishes. The new Hogwarts Legacy video game may be as close as most of us Muggles will ever come to the infamous school of witchcraft and wizardry. Seriously, who doesnt want to watch a bunch of adults in medieval costumes hitting each other with rubber swords? But to draw interest, youll need to look beyond formal talks and job fairs. With the user-friendly digital tools at our disposal today, anyone can make a short movie. A popular way of fundraising for college is organizing concerts and selling tickets. Host a wheel of fortune night! Events are a great way to introduce fresh ideas, opportunities, and products to a new audience. Be sure to advertise well in advance so everyone knows about it. Search for jobs related to Event ideas for college organizations or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 21m+ jobs. Dodgeball tournaments are always a lot of fun. Learning doesnt only take place inside the classroom. When events wrap, follow up with students. Whether connecting people face-to-face or virtually, hosting poetry readings, mariachi lessons, or concerts, youve got a lot on your plate. The first group to complete the list wins. So bring in an IT pro to show off the tips and tricks to help new employees prove their worth. Hire a photographer and let students get professional headshots taken for free. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. Run a voter registration drive. Consult with your director of facilities office about . Set it up in the student center or dormitory dining hall and let those student chefs show their skills. Cheer teams, dance squads, and pageant contestants are some of the first that comes to mind, but it is also a great idea for women's shelters. You might also include wraps, burritos, and gyros quick, flavorful meals that require only a few ingredients. Students will love trying to solve the mystery. Screen the films at a local theater or on campus. Another great way to giveaway prizes is by having a raffle. Themed parties are especially fun. Invite successful alums to serve as a mentor to students majoring in a relevant area. A fun campus event attracts a crowd and engages students. Which two countries share the longest border? Whats better than spending Thanksgiving with friends? Walking tours, bus tours, and even bike tours are fun opportunities for students particularly freshmen and other campus newcomers to make friends and get to know the area around them. Swap boring punch for a spiked punch bowl and redeem your old school prom dress and tuxedos. When planning your scavenger hunt, include a task that requires participants to ask five strangers to name their favorite thing about the school. Include a find the hidden talent challenge that encourages competitors to build bonds with other students by unlocking their unique skills. Food drives are always important, and theyre a great way to get students involved. Althea Marin Santos (al-they-ya, mar-ine, san-tos) is a Filipina immigrant raised in Northeast Los Angeles. Put on your best poker face and deal em up! Rock climbing is a great way to get active and have some fun. This event suits urban campuses, where many museums and galleries might dot the landscape. Cooking classes help keep students healthy and prepare them to become more self-sufficient. Scavenger hunts involve creating a list of goals for a group to accomplish or items to collect. A music festival might center the main stage in a field. A recent study from the American College Health Association found that 95% of college students dont eat the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables. Let student musicians show off their best guitar licks and drum solos in an auditorium, amphitheater classroom, or outdoor space where guests can sit and watch. Refer to our Privacy Policy or contact us at privacy@cvent.com for more details. Help current students see the potential that the future holds while they makenetworking connectionsthat could be beneficial after graduation. But who could possibly have a problem with baby photos? You could either create your own hunts or use ones that are already made. 6. When entrepreneurs from your campus arent showcasing their projects, another part of the spotlight can function similarly to a college recruiting event or career fair. 14 College Event Ideas Students Will Actually Attend, classes that will teach them applicable skills, study from the American College Health Association, Create groups and promote events on Facebook, four tips to help university event planners succeed, The Complete Guide to Early Bird Registration for Events, Before, During, and After: The Complete Guide to Event Engagement . Service projects are always beneficial, and theyre perfect for college students. In a murder mystery game, one party guest is the designated murderer, and anyone could be the next victim. 7. knowledge, and an ever-popular way for students to spend the evening. Host a contest Whether it's a dance contest, a singing or karaoke contest, a stand-up comedy showcase, or battle of the bands, the possibilities for contests are countless. Theres nothing like spending a night under the stars. There are the standard pieces that this great: discussions, peer-to-professional networking, workshops, and more.