Fun Fund: Helping Stonehill Students Broaden Their Horizons Off-Campus

September 09, 2010

Eight tickets to the Harry Potter Exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science:
$142.

Five tickets to a Regina Spektor concert in Boston: $134.

Having fun with your Stonehill pals off-campus for free?

Priceless.

Thanks to the Stonehill College Fun Fund, students can take advantage of non-alcohol-related cultural opportunities for free or at a reduced price.

Last year, the Fun Fund reimbursed $4,700 to 284 students who got off campus on Friday and Saturday nights - the nights they're statistically more likely to drink- to expand their cultural horizons instead, said Kelly Paton, staff counselor at Stonehill's Counseling & Testing Center.

"We're trying to encourage students to take advantage of non-alcohol related fun. If it involved alcohol, they can't apply," Paton said.

Five years ago, the Student Government Association had a surplus in their budget and was looking for creative ways to fund non-alcohol related programming. The Counseling and Testing Center and SGA created the Fun Fund to allow students to pursue individualized plans for non-alcohol related fun on an ongoing basis.

"They fill out an application online and submit it to our committee, made up of SGA students, staff and faculty. They decide whether or not to fund the event. The kids bring back receipts; they get reimbursed for whatever we said we'd pay for," Paton said.

The Fun Fund subsidized, or partially-subsidized, 43 trips last school year alone. Students went on outings ranging from sporting events to English High Tea. Paton mentioned a few trips:

Five freshmen attended a concert in Boston for the Russian musician Reginia Spektor.

Seven seniors went to English High Tea at the Dorset Café in Wellesley Hills. The Fun Fund reimbursed them $147.

Six sophomores attended a concert by pianist, George Li at the Lexington Symphony. The Fun Fund reimbursed them $81.32.

Ten seniors went indoor rock climbing at Carabiners in New Bedford. The Fun Fund reimbursed these students $84

Four juniors went to see "The Lion King" at the Boston Opera House. The Fun Fund reimbursed them $102.40.

"It really gives them a chance to get off-campus, to do things they maybe wouldn't be able to do on a student income," Paton said.

"We tend to more readily approve creative requests, so it gives them a chance to think outside the box. We're not going to approve 12 applications for Red Sox games. We've had kids go to the Ghost Tour in Boston, Go-cart racing, paint-your-own pottery workshops, rock climbing, a New England Revolution soccer game, Six Flags, bowling. We'll consider anything, as long as it's not alcohol-related."

Students can apply to the Fun Fund by visiting here. 

Contact

For more information, contact Communications and Media Relations at 508-565-1321.