On September 9 from 8-9 p.m., the residence directors and the faculty-in-residence joined together to host the biannual progressive snacking event at their respective homes across campus to build community between leaders and students.
Over one hundred students participated in the event, visiting faculty apartments in Hurt 3, Ayers 3 and Sullivan along with residence directors’ homes in the Bowld, McAfee Commons and other areas. Each host prepared a distinct snack or drink to share with the passing students.
“I think it’s fun because I don’t always get to meet students or share more about myself during events, but progressive snacking is a way for me to do that,” Ash Lafferty, the women’s quads residence director, said.
Lafferty chose to serve mango sticky rice, a dessert originating in Thailand. The dish was a new culinary experience for many students and ended up being a conversation starter for Lafferty. She used progressive snacking and her mango sticky rice as a way to share more of her personality with her residents.
Mollie Carter-Neal, assistant professor of psychology and faculty-in-residence, also aimed to connect with students by giving them a glimpse into her personal life. Carter-Neal and her husband served little smokies inside of their Hurt 3 apartment, allowing students to look around the space and ask questions about it. As a first-year faculty-in-residence, Carter-Neal aimed to make connections and gain recognition around campus.
“It’s been really nice to meet students and let them know where we’re at in hopes of having them come and hang out in the future,” Carter-Neal said. “I’ve made different efforts to get to know students already, but there is just something different about people being able to come into our home.”
Junior communications major Colin Harris echoed a similar sentiment. He has participated in progressive snacking for the past three years and has enjoyed deepening his relationships with campus leadership through the event. Harris also explained how progressive snacking was one of his favorite ResLife events because of the student demographics involved.
“Usually, upperclassmen aren’t super involved in ResLife, and I see a lot of them come out for progressive snacking, which is awesome,” Harris said. “We all want to meet the faculty-in-residence because we usually wouldn’t see them otherwise.”
Progressive snacking was designed to be a casual way for students to meet and build lasting relationships with campus leadership. This year, Lafferty believed it achieved that goal.
“Plus, it’s free food,” Lafferty said. “So that gets everyone involved.”
