At a glance
“This exciting new program is a way to boost student participation in the many civic engagement, sustainability, and wellness activities we organize on campus,” says Julian Dautremont-Smith, Alfred State’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “It has the potential to really help build a culture of service, health, and environmental responsibility among students.”
Alfred State has cornered the market on student engagement this semester. The college recently kicked off its brand-new, yearlong Pioneer Cup competition, which pits residence halls against each other in a friendly (but fierce) fight to prove their superiority in terms of civic engagement, sustainability, and health and wellness.
“This exciting new program is a way to boost student participation in the many civic engagement, sustainability, and wellness activities we organize on campus,” says Julian Dautremont-Smith, Alfred State’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “It has the potential to really help build a culture of service, health, and environmental responsibility among students.”
Residents can earn points for their hall by participating in activities, programs, and events related to the competition themes. At the end of the school year, the residence hall with the most points will be named the Pioneer Cup Champion and will be awarded at least $1,500 that can go toward fun extras like taking a hall trip or buying a foosball table. All residents of the winning hall will also receive Pioneer Cup Champions T-shirts and recognition in an end-of-year ceremony.
To keep the momentum up throughout the year, Alfred State will also be raffling off prizes (many of which were donated by area businesses) each month to students who participate in Pioneer Cup activities. The more Pioneer Cup activities students complete, the better their chances of winning.
During the recent Welcome Week, students earned points for participating in a community service event, attending the Alfred Farmers Market, or purchasing something from the Mega Sale, which offered usable clothing, furniture, and other items donated by students during move out at the end of the spring semester. There will be a wide variety of other point-scoring opportunities on campus throughout the year, including donating blood, being part of an athletics team, or holding executive office in a student organization.
Although many colleges hold some kind of residence hall competition, the Pioneer Cup is unique. It is held all year long and has a broad focus on civic engagement, sustainability, and health and wellness. “The variety of point scoring opportunities ensures that every student can help their hall in some way,” says Jonathan Hilsher, Alfred State’s Director of Civic Engagement.
The Pioneer Cup is a joint program of the Center for Civic Engagement, the Office of Sustainability, Health & Wellness Services, and Residential Life. More information about the scoring and prizes is posted on the Pioneer Cup website.