Through the Make-A-Wish Club at Keene State, children in the Make-A-Wish program from the surrounding area were given the opportunity to experience college for the first time on Friday, March 27, at the organization’s Day in the Life of a College Student event. Attendees stepped into the shoes of a student and participated in an opening ceremony, attended classes, met new friends and experienced an ending commencement ceremony.
Junior and Make-A-Wish Club President Sammi Goldblatt explained the mission behind the organization and the impact it has on children and families.
“Make-A-Wish NH is a nonprofit organization that helps children with critical illnesses by giving them a wish. This wish can be anything the child wants, within reason. Some wishes have been trips, pools, dogs, room makeovers or even shopping sprees,” she said. “Our organization works directly with Make-A-Wish NH. We support them through creating wish certificates and we also help with volunteering at events such as the holiday party, Rafting for Wishes and sometimes airport send-offs. We do a lot of raising awareness on our campus and we also fundraise for Rafting for Wishes in July.”
Building off that mission, Goldblatt explained how last Friday’s event brought that purpose to life in a new way.
“The focus of this event is to give the wish children a chance to experience what college life is like,” she said. “Unfortunately, some of these kids can’t go to college for accessibility issues or due to their illness. We noticed this issue, and two years ago the idea for this event was formed. We wanted to highlight the best parts of our campus and show people our community and how amazing college can be.”
Goldblatt explained what the families’ schedules were for their jam-packed day, beginning with their admission into Keene State and meeting their Wish Owl.
“[Their Wish Owl] was a Keene State student, either a general member, a Kappa Delta Pi [education honors society] or Alpha Sigma Phi brother, who stayed with the family all day to be there and answer any questions,” Goldblatt said.
She continued to talk about the opening ceremony with KSC Senior Associate Director of Admissions Kevin Justice and a student panel, which was followed by a showing of five different departments of the family’s choice.
“We had a clinic for athletics in the gym, which was hosted by the cheer team and girls varsity basketball. Journalism students opened their lab so that wish kids could make a broadcast and then get that back later. All of our science programs hosted different experiments in the Mountain View Room,” she said. “Finally, Art Collective and Psi Chi, the psychology honors society, hosted educational talks and crafts.”
This was followed by a lunch catered by Chartwells, which offered a break for families to either go to the Living and Learning Commons to see dorm rooms, go to a resource panel in the Night Owl Café or go to the mini involvement fair in the flag room. The day ended with a commencement ceremony with Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kirsti Sandy and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Jen Ferrell handing out diplomas.
Merrimack, N.H. resident Avicia Pizzano got to experience the day firsthand, taking in the campus with a sense of awe and curiosity.
“I am excited to see all the new stuff here. It is so big,” she said.
As she explored her surroundings of unfamiliar buildings, she added, “We were trying to find a spot, all these buildings around it, and I’m like, ‘It’s all part of Keene?,’” capturing both her amazement and the excitement of stepping into a college student’s world for the day.
Avicia’s mother, Megan Pizzano, emphasized how meaningful the experience was in helping both of them envision the future ahead.
“It’s hard to visualize it for your kids sometimes, but I think that seeing this come together is like, ‘Oh wow, she’s getting older. She’s really hitting these mile markers,’” she said.
She added that beyond looking ahead, the day also offers something just as important in the present: “I think it helps her just feel more normal.”
Sophia Merenda can be contacted at
smerenda@kscequinox.com
