GLK and GFSC host a free ice skating event!
Photo courtesy of Knight’s Life Editor Daisy Sheldon
Pictured left is a student, Benjamin Carlson, who enjoyed the event. Pictured right is Erin Schulz, a member of the GLK Event Staff that The Lamron interviewed.
On Feb. 7 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Geneseo Late Knight (GLK) and the Geneseo Figure Skating Club (GFSC) collaborated to produce a memorable and joyful night of ice skating for students. GLK is a Student Life program under the guidance of Madison Jansen, Coordinator for Student Life Activities and Late Night Programs, and GLK works with several clubs to host events over the course of each semester; for this event, it was GFSC.
Students from both organizations staffed the event. They worked together to rent skates to students at the check-in table at no cost (which also had free candy), and handed out raffle tickets for prizes provided by GLK. For three hours, the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena was full of students skating, falling, laughing, and listening to tunes such as “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, “Breakin’ Dishes” by Rihanna, and “Miss possessive” by Tate McRae.
Attendees spirits were high—regardless of their ranging ability to skate—with one student excitedly listing: “I love skating, this is great, the music is great, a lot of friends here, this is awesome.” Later, when asked what their favorite GLK-sponsored event was, that same student answered, “This. This is awesome.”
Another student in attendance told The Lamron they were having fun, but also noted that they “really like that it’s free so it’s accessible to people.” This student recognized that GLK, which is centered around building a sense of community and belonging through a diverse array of activities, is a valuable program easily accessible by the people it cares about most: students.
In addition, The Lamron interviewed Erin Schulz, a senior who has been a member of the GLK Event Staff for three semesters. This was Schulz’s second time running the ice skating event, and when asked if she herself knew how to skate, she laughed and answered, “Do I know how? Yes. Am I good? No.” As for other events GLK hosts, Schulz said, “Every week we have something new going on… I feel like a fan-favorite is always bingo [because] there’s free prizes with that… So that’s a fun one to run as well.” Schulz’s personal favorite event to attend is Goat Yoga, which will take place on Apr. 9.
Schulz also explained that her favorite parts of working for GLK are “the people and the atmosphere we build.” She then elaborated, saying, “[W]e have a very bubbly, energetic, fun energy that we always bring,” which was evident in her conversation with The Lamron. Schulz further mentioned that GLK supplies an environment of “safety and comfort” that allows students to be themselves. Speaking from personal experience, Schulz added, “I’m always loud and bubbly, and I very much have found my place with GLK here.”
One may ask why GLK consistently hosts free activities for SUNY Geneseo students, and the answer is evident in both the students attending and running GLK events. The answer, as Schulz and the students interviewed touched on, is that GLK strives to supply a place for students to connect with others, be themselves, and find worth and value in being a SUNY Geneseo student.
Madison Jansen, Coordinator for Student Life Activities and Late Night Programs, provided The Lamron with a statement at the ice skating event: “I have a very hardworking staff this year, and they are a pleasure to work with, and all of the clubs that I have worked with this year have also been a pleasure.” Jansen also encouraged students to attend future events, saying, “We are having a great year… please come to more events!” If you are interested in attending a future GLK event, or learning more about GFSC, you can follow them at @geneseolateknight and @geneseofigureskating, respectively.