A prospective student tour group
Photo courtesy of: Jacqueline Quinn-Kilger
BY: MORGAN KILGER, NEWS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
Henry Stoothoff, a freshman sports media major, visited St. Bonaventure University from Kansas City in early March 2022, touring campus for the first time. Stoothoff said that during his tour, he instantly felt like he would get a more personalized experience at Bonaventure than other colleges and felt right at home.
“That’s a big part of what drew me to the school [Bonaventure],” said Stoothoff. “I was really sold on that message.”
However Stoothoff, along with many of his classmates, said he hasn’t seen much of the Bonaventure community that was mentioned during the admissions process. Faculty said they lament the recent lack of that community.
“I don’t feel that whole sense of ‘You’re a Bonnie, I’m a Bonnie,’” said Stoothoff.
Many seniors, however, said they have a different sense of the Bonaventure community.
The class of 2024 entered Bonaventure in fall 2020. Due to social distancing and other COVID-19 restrictions, class of 2024 members said they weren’t able to have the bonding experiences that many within the previous two classes of freshmen were able to have.
“We did not have a lot of the foundational moments that are crucial for bonding,” said Sara Mattos, a senior psychology major.
Mattos was able to bond with some of her classmates, but not all of them. She said that starting her freshman year during a pandemic affected her opportunity to bond. But, Mattos said, she now feels like she knows most of her class.
Although campus life is now active, many students still cite a lack of community on campus stemming from a lack of involvement. Both Mattos and Stoothoff found that being involved on campus helps with feeling part of the Bonaventure community.
“If you’re not taking advantage of the opportunities to join clubs or sports, or go to events that the school holds, you’re probably not going to feel like it’s a close community,” said Mattos.
Both Mattos and Stoothoff are involved on campus in several different aspects. Mattos, for example, was a peer coach in fall 2022. She saw how close her peer kids and the freshman class were during Welcome Days, students’ first few days of being on campus at Bonaventure.
Stoothoff is involved within the freshman class; he’s his class’ vice president. Even though he’s heavily involved in SGA, Stoothoff said he still doesn’t know the majority of his class.
Although the Bonaventure community doesn’t fit the mold for the freshman class, the seniors are trying to experience as many events at Bonaventure before they graduate.
“The Bonaventure I have been able to experience since my sophomore year is better than the one I experienced my freshman year,” said Mattos. “I feel more connected to the community because of it.”
Some of the faculty on campus have also noticed a shift in community at Bonaventure. Steven Pitt, associate history professor and interim chair of the history department at Bonaventure, has noticed students aren’t interacting in classes as often as they used to.
“Typically, I’ll walk into the classroom with the lights off and students looking at their devices,” said Pitt. “Ten years ago, students would often be engaged in conversations with their peers.”
Pitt said he blames technology for a decline in students’ social skills. For example, Pitt said his students are using shared documents to work on assignments together instead of talking to each other.
Stephanie Vogel, assistant psychology professor at Bonaventure, observed that students are not as social anymore in general. Vogel, like Pitt, noticed this more in her classes.
“I’ve noticed that there doesn’t seem to be as much friendship and comradery and socialization among my classes,” said Vogel. “Among my major students, there was always the sense that everyone knew everyone, and that doesn’t seem like that’s the case now.”
Pitt doesn’t see a lack of socialization on campus. He noticed students gather in places like Café La Verna for coffee or in the library to study.
Both Vogel and Pitt agreed that COVID-19 may have had a role in why students aren’t as social anymore.
“I think COVID and the isolation that came with it made people hesitant to put themselves out there as much,” said Vogel.
After COVID, Bonaventure started to offer the same clubs and more socialization opportunities to its students.
“I think the school does try to promote this closeness,” said Mattos. “But there are other factors which may make people feel otherwise.”
kilgermi22@bonaventure.edu
