Shannon KeoughCampus Philly College Day took place on Sept. 26 on the Ben Franklin Parkway. The event featured restaurants, shops and Philadelphia landmarks for local college students to take advantage of. Campus Philly expected about 3,000 students roaming the city throughout the day.
The Parkway was alive with young energy, an energy the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ is accustomed to, but maybe not in this high a concentration. Apparel reading LaSalle and Villanova and yes, even Cabrini, was never far from sight. Tents, set up mostly in Logan Square, were manned by businesses of every size, from Susquehanna Bank to the little corner cafe people never knew was there.
Colleges on the Main Line and throughout the Philadelphia area came together with Campus Philly and businesses, small and large, to sponsor the day-long event.
From Love Park all the way down to the art museum, vendors and stores welcomed college students from across the area to experience the city. Students could visit University City, Manayunk and South Street to find more deals. With a college ID and a Campus Philly discount card many places had deals and free giveaways.
In its 23rd year, this event has come in many forms.
“It started when participating museums and cultural institutions opened their doors to college students for free on a certain day of the year,” Brittany Sturges, associate for engagement programs at Campus Philly, said. In previous years it has also included a concert and larger scale festival style feel, but due to the economy a more casual atmosphere was adopted.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute and five other Philly staples were free to college students with their IDs. There were shuttles to help students get from one local to another.
“It was a really great, cheap way to see the city,” Kevin McAvoy, sophomore business administration major, said. “It makes me want to visit the city more.”
That’s exactly what Campus Philly hopes.
“Often in their first semester, students head to the national retail and restaurant chains they are familiar with,” Melanie Rago, Campus Philly senior director, said. “College Day is designed to change that behavior by offering a broader connection between students and proofread the city’s unique local resources. Students will feel more comfortable traveling the city, and they will be more likely to return over the course of their college career.”
Students not only at Cabrini but across the Delaware Valley have a resource in Philadelphia. It has the culture and history that most students in this country don’t have access to. It has a very metropolitan feel without being overwhelming. The Campus Philly College day event welcomed the 366,000 college students in the area with a taste of what the city has to offer.
Restaurants big and small had their doors constantly spinning with a steady flow of students searching for their next hangout. Shops offering everything from clothes to electronics offered great prices for every dorm necessity. The museums and libraries had students drowning in knowledge.
The relationship this great city has with it’s students has always been a strong one. Celebrations like College Day ensure the affair is a strong one.
“I can’t wait to bring my friends to the places I found,” Brittany Hume, sophomore secondary education major, said. “I haven’t been to the city in a while and this event made it awesome.”
