The Center for “Civic Funship”

Amy Lee

Staff Writer

Is making new friends one of your resolutions for the new semester? The Center for Civic Friendship will be hosting “Civic Funship” events every other Thursday from 8-9pm in the Alumni Hall lounge, starting with a coloring session on February 12th. Looking for more? The Center will also be hosting a “Speed Friending” event on Friday, February 13th from 8-10pm in Pierre’s Pub.

As the Center for Civic Friendship expands during its second year at Assumption University, student leaders from the Center’s committee for Community Building and Residential Life are organizing “Civic Funship” events to include students in fun activities, such as coloring, puzzling, and game nights.

“We want more people involved in Civic Friendship, even if they’re not a scholar or an ambassador. This way, we can get our group out there and start spreading our message to students who have never heard of Civic Friendship,” Civic Friendship Ambassador, Ella Bianchi, explained.

The Center is also sponsoring a “Speed Friending” night that will work like a “speed dating” event. Two students will sit across from each other with icebreaker cards before switching to get to know another peer. The music and food-filled night at Pierre’s Pub will create a safe, fun, and relaxed space for friendship-making.

Allison Clark, a student leader involved in organizing Speed Friending, commented on the importance of bringing together students from different groups: “I noticed how many people I walk past every single day that I’ve never seen before. In a place where there are so many individual groups, we struggle to mingle with people we do not see every single day, or who aren’t on our sports teams, or who don’t write on the Provoc with us.” Likewise, Bianchi suggested that these community events will allow students to “find common ground through shared activities.”

The Center for Civic Friendship promotes students having courageous conversations in a respectful manner, despite differing opinions. The goal of the upcoming events is to provide students with opportunities to cultivate friendship first. Then, students will feel more comfortable sharing their ideas in these courageous conversations with one another.

“Everything starts with that good foundation of friendship. Once we have that foundation, it is easier to build upon and work on other issues,” Juliana Martino, another Civic Friendship Ambassador, described. On the same note, Clark expressed that, “By having this Speed Friending event and giving people the opportunity to meet people they may not have met otherwise, it could open the door for more productive conversations.”

Ultimately, these leaders want all Assumption students to have the opportunity to develop positive connections with their peers. Bianchi asserted of the Civic Funship activities, “We want to create a community where people feel that they have a sense of belonging.” Similarly, Clark ensured that at the upcoming Speed Friending event, “no one will be sitting alone.”