 "Photo: Mylo Wiles")
 "Photo: Mylo Wiles")
The sun finally broke through the clouds last Thurs., May 7, as students began to gather in the quad between Stevenson and Darwin Halls for Senior Send-off.
Some passed by with puzzled looks on their faces as they emerged from the library. Why was there a giant, inflatable obstacle course set up on the lawn? Yet most students knew that this event meant free food and games for everyone-not only seniors.
Once the DJs from Bob FM began blasting music around 11:30 a.m., students flocked to the booths to "let the games begin," as this year's theme suggested.
This year's Senior Send-off, sponsored by the SSU Alumni Association, in conjunction with the Student Alumni Ambassadors, was titled the "Sonoma State Fair," complete with carnival games, a dunk tank, raffle prizes for the seniors, and live entertainment.
Vincent Courtese, an SSU Alumni Association board member, was proud to see his alma mater come together for a day. Courtese spent most of his time up on the stage, co-hosting the event with Stephen Hammerle, president of the Student Alumni Ambassadors.
"This is our opportunity to throw an event celebrating the graduating students who will now be alumni," said Courtese, "It's all about the free food, free gifts, and camaraderie."
President Arminana, along with his cabinet, also gave back to the student community by serving a free lunch of hot dogs, chips, cookies and soda donated by University Dining Services.
"The hot dogs are better than last year," said senior, Gabby Gustafson, who was cruising through the lawn with her friend, senior, Rebecca Mildwurm, holding blue Frisbee plates full of free food.
Gustafson and Mildwurm and were taking advantage of everything Senior Send-Off had to offer that afternoon.
"I like all of the free stuff-even the fact that they're giving out free scantrons, because I need them for my exams coming up," said Mildwurn.
The Indian Cultural Club's booth of henna tattoos was a popular attraction, generating a long line that rivaled the neighboring Alumni Association's booth, where seniors could sign up for a free first year membership as incoming alumni and enter to win raffle prizes.
Emma Smales was one of the first seniors to win a raffle prize-a free one hour massage from the Rec Center.
"I am having a lot of fun," said Smales. "I think this is such a good way to send off the seniors." She then yelled to her friends across from the booth, "I got a free massage, sucker!"
From the stage, the "Who is the real Susan Kashack" game stirred up a few laughs from the crowd, who sat or stood on the lawn, mingling and eating lunch.
By noon, an impressive number of students had gathered to watch the SSU dance team, as well as the Filipino-American Association of Sonoma State University (FAASSU) dance troupe, whose performances served as entertainment and a way to promote their organizations to the campus community.
Because the sun was so hot that day, the black stage that the members of FAASSU were dancing on caused a few of the dancers to suffer from second and third degree burns on their feet. After being taken to the hospital in an ambulance, Senior Send-Off continued in a timid, yet celebratory fashion.
After bounding through the inflatable obstacle course, Senior, Meghan Howard even had a chance to dunk ASI Executive Director, Erik Dickson, in the dunk tank before the day was over.
"I was really excited and am still pretty proud," said Howard. "Maybe I missed my true calling to be a softball player."
Yet Howard, like many students, missed out on some of the attractions and wished Senior Send-Off had lasted for a few more hours.
"There seemed to only be one person at the really popular booths so it was slow going for anybody in line," said Howard. "It was a lot of fun though. I wish it had gone on longer."
Overall, Senior-Send off was successful in providing a carefree atmosphere for those who participated. As the semester nears completion, graduating seniors and continuing students alike enjoyed the feeling of summer in the air, the carnival games and the free prizes.
"I think it went really well," said Hammerle. "We definitely destroyed last year's attendance, because we moved the location and it generated more people. It was a nice little reprieve from a stressful week."
Like many leaders on campus, Hammerle hopes Senior Send-Off served as a reminder that SSU is truly capable of generating a contagious school spirit.
"Hopefully we can carry that spirit to the years ahead," he said.
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