MGA Planning Fall Student Activities to Reflect New Realities

Author: News Bureau
Posted: Tuesday, August 4, 2020 12:00 AM
Categories: Pressroom | Students

Macon, GA

Many, though not all, Student Life activities will be virtual this fall. Keep up with the calendar of events at https://mga.presence.io/.

As Middle Georgia State University prepares for fall semester, students may be wondering what kinds of activities and programs to expect in these days of COVID and social distancing.

"It will be different," said Devereaux Lindsey, one of five campus Student Services coordinators at MGA. "We have to be more realistic about activities and plan things that emphasize safety, but we will still have fun."

Student Services staff members on the Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman, and Warner Robins campuses will focus on offering online activities like the kind that drew participation over the summer semester, such as a virtual caricature artist and a mindreader via the Zoom platform. Fall semester students also can expect activities like virtual yoga, word scramble, cooking lessons, bingo, "pets of MGA" photo submissions, and more.

Regular semester events normally held in person, such as club fair, will be offered on Presence, a web and mobile platform used by some universities and colleges to help increase student engagement. MGA Student Services will schedule a specific day and time for club fair and invite students to check out club pages on Presence to help them decide what organizations they'd like to be part of. Presence will also house calendars of events on each campus.

There will be in-person activities, but on a smaller scale and with modifications. For example, instead of students gathering for the popular "Paint & Sip" event, the painting supplies will be bagged up so students can "grab and go" and take them home or to their residence hall suites. "Movie Knights" will still be a thing, but instead of one big screening Student Services will schedule three showings and require students to sign up for the one they'd like to attend.

Wellness facilities on all campuses are making similar adjustments.

"One big change is that we are limiting the number of people that can use the facilities at any one time," said Harley Miller, MGA's assistant director of Recreation and Wellness. "The staff will monitor the areas and record numbers to make sure we don't exceed maximum occupancy."

Everyone using the facilities will have to wear masks/face coverings (which also are required inside all campus buildings) and clean the equipment they use with wipes and disinfectant, which will be provided. Scheduled events, such as aerobics, will be limited to a maximum of 10 people.

Intramurals will focus on activities with low personal contact, such as kickball and wiffleball. Flag football teams will play four people at a time instead of seven. For events like weightlifting contests, students will sign up for a time slot instead of mingling with crowds of others waiting for their turns.

"We are also going to incorporate more e-games with a variety of genres represented," Miller said.

Lindsey said she expects many MGA students who live in residence halls to continue participating in activities outside of their classes. She predicts an increase in the number of commuter students taking part because of the greater number of virtual activities planned.

"We're trying new things to see what works," she said. "It won't completely make up for the loss of personal interaction that is typically part of the campus experience, but all colleges and universities are going through the same thing so our students aren't alone in making these adjustments. Adaptability is one of Middle Georgia State's core values, and I have confidence that our students will adapt."

Check https://mga.presence.io/ often to keep up with "MGA Knight Life" student activities. Middle Georgia State University Student Life is also on Facebook and Instagram.