TST. PAUL WILL HOST A FAIR THURSDAY

he 2005 Student Activities Fair achieved new heights Tuesday, Student Activities adviser Erik Dussault said. For the first time, student groups reserved all 125 tables prior to registration closing, he said.

The Student Activities Office hosted the first leg of the Activities Fair on Tuesday at the Coffman Union Plaza. It will continue Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Paul Student Center terrace.

Groups wanting to showcase themselves set up tables to display their group information and talked to students passing by. This activity was included under the umbrella of Campus Kickoff Days, Dussault said.

The fair serves two purposes: It allows groups to get their name out on campus and educates new students about campus opportunities beyond academic programs, he said.

Bright posters, pamphlets and free candy were offered by student groups as they attempted to attract new members.

Students publicizing the Rock, an Uptown church, were handing out free ramen noodles.

“We’re reaching out to students who are not interested in religion, but are interested in God,” economics senior Christine Grue said.

Ramen is like the bread of life for college students, Spanish and philosophy sophomore Sarah Slauson said.

“We’re trying to interest students in the physical bread of life with the ramen, as well as the eternal bread of life,” she said.

First-year theater arts and secondary education student Caroline Younts said she appreciated when students representing groups were willing to talk about the organization.

Younts said she also liked that most groups were not exclusive and were open to most students on campus.

Mechanical engineering senior Amanda Lacy said she remembered what it was like to start at the University as a first-year student.

“It seemed like there were so many possibilities,” she said. “I didn’t know where to start.”

Members of groups such as the Business Association of Multicultural Students and Beta Theta Pi said they were trying to promote their organization and recruit new members.

“We also hope to break the stereotypes that plague the frats here on campus,” international business and marketing sophomore Greg Jensen said.

First-year computer science student Mike Kaeding said he ran into the Student Activities Fair by accident and ended up perusing the booths that sparked his personal areas of interest.

“It’s a big campus,” he said. “But it’s not that big.”