Assistant News Editor
CSU Bakersfield held its second Runner Nights event at the Student Union’s Runner Park Friday night as part of a new collaboration between CSUB’s ASI, athletics, campus programming, housing, Student Union and Student Recreation Center.
The student-only event went on from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and featured a variety of activities, foods, and entertainment for students, including a stuff-a-plush station, snow globe photo booth, mini doughnuts, DJ, and a snow-filled area where students could enjoy snowball fights, among other group oriented activities.
Despite being only the second Runner Nights, the event saw upward of 800 students Friday night. Runner Nights committee member and nursing major, Mirka Sanchez, 22, was amazed at the events success after surpassing their expected amount of students in a little over an hour.
“We were expecting 600 students,” said Sanchez. “We hit 600 at 10:30, the fact that we still have so many students after midnight is a great thing.”
Some CSUB students danced to music by DJ Mike Broida, while many others played in the snow while enjoying their time at the event.
Some students were not aware of the activities and entertainment that would be offered at the event and were pleasantly surprised when they arrived. Environmental resource management major Ariana Mariscal, 20, mentioned her excitement for the event.
“I was not expecting the snow. That was really fun, the music and the pizza were great,” said Mariscal.
Not only did Mariscal enjoy the music and the food, but also expressed her wishes for CSUB to continue having events like Runner Nights.
“I definitely would like CSUB to continue to have more events like this in the future,” said Mariscal. “It just brings more life to the campus.”
Other students expressed their enjoyment for the evening. Political science major Belkys Ripoll, 21, said that this was her first school event and that the doughnuts were “really good.”
After the success of the first Runner Nights event, there has been in increase in student participation and involvement. ASI President Mike Kwon applauded the success of the event and the increase of student involvement.
“After the first Runner Nights in the fall, a lot of students wanted to get involved with the planning stages of it,” said Kwon. “A lot of clubs and organizations wanted to have booths…at the event.”
Kwon continued, saying that “getting students to take part in activities” and “letting students get involved in the planning of the events,” will continue to increase the student involvement at the CSUB campus.
The Runner Nights event is expected to continue. The committee will begin planning the last Runner Nights event of the academic year as early as Thursday.
“We are having a music festival in the spring with student bands and a big musical act at the end,” said Sanchez.
CSUB is hoping to make Runner Nights a tradition for the campus, based on the success that the event has seen within the student community. Starting fall 2016 the committee is looking to have a Runner Nights event each semester.
