Find Your Besties at College of Charleston BEst Fest

^{Photos by Catie Cleveland}

Want to be at your best? Then be sure to stop by the second annual BEst Fest on Sept. 18, 2024, from 1 to 8 p.m. in the Cistern Yard. With games, food trucks, music and activities – and the tagline, BE Intentional, BE Connected, BE You, BElong – the campuswide collaboration introduces students to volunteer opportunities, wellness resources and new friends.

“We are hoping this event encourages students to get engaged during their time in Charleston in a way that feels genuine and authentic to them,” says Nicole Killen, director of the Center for Sustainable Development, who was part of the planning committee. “We want students to walk away from this event feeling inspired, connected and a sense of belonging.”

There are about 120 student organizations and community partners who will be participating. The sequence of events are as follows: 

• 1-3 p.m.: Involvement Fair
• 2-5 p.m.: Clyde’s Snack Shack Food Truck
• 3-4 p.m.: Activities and Games
• 5-6 p.m.: Salsa Dance Lesson with the Hispanic Latino Club
• 6-8 p.m.: Supper Club with the Cougar Activities Board and HLC

“By engaging in these activities, students will begin to figure out where they fit in and how they can create a sense of belonging during their time with the College of Charleston,” Killen adds.

The first annual BEst Fest in 2023 had almost 2,000 attendees and 150 student organizations, on-campus offices and departments and off-campus community partners. Organizers hope to have a very similar event to last year, with minor adjustments and additions.

“We are emphasizing an informal and more natural way of interacting with others by having a social hour full of games and activities to help students break the ice with others,” Killen notes. “We want to engage more on-campus partnerships with diverse populations and groups to highlight both traditional and nontraditional engagement opportunities at the College, which is why we are doing a dance lesson with HLC and a dinner with CAB and HLC. Most importantly, we want students to BE you, BE connected and BElong.”

“I am very excited for this series of events that make up BEst Fest and the opportunity for students to engage with various partners,” Melissa Barrett, associate director of student life organizations and programming, who served on the BEst Fest planning committee. Other members of the 2024 planning committee are as follows:

• Stephanie Visser, Laura Fornadel and Anne McGrath, Center for Civic Engagement
• Hannah Finley, Student Life
• Rachel Williams and Heewon Son, Multicultural Student Programs and Services
• Rachael McNamara and Catherine Christian, Office of Student Wellness and Well-being
• Naomi Simmons, Pride Center
• Kelsey Whiting-Jones, Center for Sustainable Development

“I am very excited to bring this team together again and hoping to continue making this an annual tradition,” says Visser. “Our goal is for the students to feel connected to the Charleston and campus community.”