Tennille Wright
Staff Writer
Laughter and music echoed throughout Sneaky Park, bringing faculty, alumni, students and their families together as the College of Business and Public Management hosted their first department barbecue.
“It’s good to see old professors and nice to reconnect,” Raymond Johns, alumnus, said.
More than 350 people attended and they all agreed that good food and fun was a common denominator.
There were a variety of entertaining games for everyone.
Winners received swag bags, t-shirts and other prizes.
One game involved blowing balls out of a glass bowl and left participants covered in flour.
The object of the game was to blow as many balls out the flour filled bowl in one minute.
This game had more observers than participants due to the flour-covered faces after playing.
Verbal challenges could be heard from the dunk tank as dunkers, who were faculty members, urged colleagues and students to take a shot at them.
“The alumni board came up with the idea to do the dunk tank fundraiser,” said Erica Nichols, business manager of the College of Business and Public Management.
The cost was $2 for one ball, $5 for three balls or a flat rate of $15 to push the dunk button. All proceeds from the dunk tank fundraiser went to CBPM student clubs.
“It was only $5 and worth it,” Aaron Yamada, sophomore psychology major, said.
The people scavenger hunt was also a favorite game.
“You have to get the names of 12 people and I just got my last person,” Rachel Rivera, junior business administration major, said.
Although pleased with the event, Nichols said she hopes to have more alumni come for the next picnic by utilizing social media networks.
The department hopes hosting this event will let the alumni know that they appreciate them and the support they provide.
The CBPM also planned an alumni only mixer following the barbecue at Chase’s Wine Bar located in La Verne.
“We had an amazing turnout,” said Nichols.
Tennille Wright can be reached at tennille.wright@laverne.edu.
