The Article below was published in Vol. 136, Issue 1 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on September 18, 2020.
Emma G. Overton ’21
Editor-in-Chief and News Section Editor
The annual Forester Fair, a long-standing tradition on campus, is normally held in the first few weeks of the fall and spring semesters. Organized by the Gates Center for Leadership and Personal Growth, the Forester Fair aims to introduce students to the various clubs, organizations, and campus departments at Lake Forest College and provide students with a variety of involvement opportunities. As Zach Jenkins ’21 explains on the College website, “Coming in my first year, one of the big things that led to my involvement was the Forester Fair, which is this giant yearly gathering of all the campus clubs on the quad . . . At the Forester Fair, you have the opportunity to talk to representatives from each club and see what interests you the most. The variety of choices is mind-boggling each year…”
Due to the College’s transition to a fully remote semester as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fall 2020 Forester Fair was held virtually via the my.involvement platform. According to Assistant Director of the Gates Center Jen Van Ewyk, holding a virtual Forester Fair was “very important to the Gates Center.” She noted that the Forester Fair “provide[s] an opportunity for students to connect with each other and build community.”
The Gates Center estimates that about 50 clubs and organizations participated in the virtual fair, in addition to eight campus departments. Van Ewyk noted that participation in the fair “was what we expected,” and she was “thrilled that 218 students were able to participate and connect with various student leaders and staff to learn about involvement opportunities.”
Co-president of Latinos Unidos, a campus empowerment group, and Co-president of the Lake Forest College chapter of To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), Isabella Nuno ’22 of Chicago shared that when she tabled for Latinos Unidos at the virtual fair, “approximately 10 people [stopped by] in the time I was there . . . I believe by the end it was closer to 20. For TWLOHA the total was around 10.” Nuno further shared that she “really enjoyed that people were able to stop by and talk to us or ask any questions they may have. I even screen-shared during the Latinos Unidos [session] to show people a poster for our next event and direct them to our Instagram.” Overall, Nuno’s experience at the virtual fair went smoothly, aside from “some tech issues towards the end” that Nuno admits “[were] on my end because I did not upgrade my Zoom [account] before the Forester Fair.”
Similarly, Vice President of Membership Recruitment for the Alpha Phi Sorority Sydney Johnson ’22 of Tempe, Arizona, explained that Alpha Phi’s table at the virtual fair “went better than anyone expected.” According to Johnson, Alpha Phi “had around 20 women come and stop by.” She shared that “it was fun to get to know some women while also explain[ing] Panhellenic’s recruitment process for this semester.”
Marisol Valerín Coronas ’23 of San Jose, Costa Rica, hosted the virtual table for Umoja, a campus organization that, according to my.involvement, “aims to harness the sense of collaboration, integration, and acceptance in order to illuminate the variety in culture, language, and ideals of the African continent.” Valerín Coronas explained that “around 10 people (all freshmen)” visited the virtual table during the fair. She noted that the experience was “good…we did not encounter any problems and everyone that came, came with a purpose to join.” Commenting on the virtual nature of the Forester Fair, Valerín Coronas stated that she is “50/50 about the format of the fair. [The] online format puts less pressure on people because they will only come if they are interested . . . [but] some people might be interested and not realize we exist.”
Looking ahead to spring 2021, Van Ewyk explained, “once we learn more about the plan for the spring semester, we will determine if the Forester Fair will be in person or if it will be virtual again.” She further stated that she “highly encourage[s] students to get involved! If students are still looking for opportunities, staff from the Gates Center are more than happy to meet and chat about ways to get involved.”
