by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC
Andrica Wilcoxen is excited about her new role as director of student activities at Kansas City Kansas Community College.
“This is my passion, working with students and helping them be successful in college,” she said. “I can’t wait to be out there with the students getting involved with them while they are here at KCKCC.”
Wilcoxen replaces Linda Sutton, who had been at KCKCC since 1984. She left the college in December, having served as director of student activities since 1999. Wilcoxen has been at KCKCC for five years, first as as a prevention specialist for the Wyandotte County Regional Prevention Center. She later became the outreach/prevention coordinator, a position she served in until earlier this year when she began maintaining duties within the office of Student Activities. She officially became the director in May.
“I think it is cool to see how students engage with each other all over campus, whether that is through clubs, organizations, academics or other social situations,” she said. “What I want to do is to boost the student morale here on campus, and I know we are going to get there.”
And while the summer months might be slow in terms of student activities, Wilcoxen is hard at work, planning many new activities and opportunities for the 2015-2016 school year. Among the biggest is a new Cheer Squad.
Complete with uniforms and choreography, the squad will be much like those seen at other collegiate sporting events. The biggest difference is that the squad will not perform any cheerleading stunts.
“There is a lot of excitement from our students about the Cheer Squad,” she said. “We already have students asking about it. Our students are coming in with new expectations and want that typical college type experience. We want to give them those exciting moments.”
The other big change will take place in the Student Center, also known as Lower Jewell. Designed to be a student area, Wilcoxen said over the years, it has turned into a meeting and event space and looks more like a dining hall than a student center. She said her plan is to return it back to its original purpose, creating a “student-friendly” atmosphere.
“We are going to pull the couches out from the walls and create an inviting space for our students to meet and hang out in,” she said. “We want them to be able to come and sit, building relationships and studying. That will mean we will have to work to shift the mentality around the campus that this is not a meeting area, but is truly our Student Center.”
Interest groups will also be an option this fall. Unlike other clubs and organizations that currently exist, these groups will focus on students’ interests such as board games or fitness. There might not be regular meetings or membership as with other clubs, but Wilcoxen said this will give students an opportunity to spend time with others that share similar interests and hobbies. Other changes are coming to the game room, which is across from the KCKCC Bookstore. There will be a new “Club Wall,” highlighting the various student clubs and organizations on campus, and gaming systems will be available for students to play.
“My hope is that we meet students’ needs with these new activities and experiences,” she said. “We want our students to have a true college experience just like those at a four-year college or university.”
The year kicks-off with the Welcome Back Bash and Club Rush Aug. 28. A new component this year, the Club Rush will allow students to meet with representatives from every club and organization on campus. Wilcoxen said not only will this make recruitment easier for clubs, but students will have a chance to see what opportunities are avaible to them at KCKCC.
“Our students will be able to see who’s here and get a taste of what they are doing,” she said. “We are going to have giveaways, inflatables and activities. The goal is to get people out there and to make sure they know what they can do on campus. We want them to stay on campus after their classes and be involved in the campus community. We want them to have some options of what they can do while they are here.”
Another addition in the fall semester will be intramural sports, which could include outdoor basketball, tennis and flag football. Wilcoxen said she would also like to see an increased emphasis on citizenship, helping students realize that their voice matters.
“We want our students to be involved in the community,” she said. “We want them to be proactive citizens.”
For more information on student activities at KCKCC, contact Wilcoxen at 913-288-7439 or by email at [email protected].
Kelly Rogge is the public information supervisor at Kansas City Kansas Community College.
