The University of Rhode Island Sojourn Collegiate Ministry kicked off the “spooky-season” by hosting a pumpkin painting night in the Memorial Union Atrium on Oct. 16 with a goal of bringing students together.
Each table offered paint brushes, pallets of paint, water and a pumpkin for each student to individually design. The group started with a total of 50 small pumpkins all donated from local pumpkin patches.
By 6:50 p.m. students began entering the Atrium to secure their first-come, first-serve spots to paint a pumpkin. Sojourn’s Tyler Nobis was shocked to see the overwhelming turnout before the scheduled 7 p.m. event had officially started.
“The event hasn’t even started yet,” Nobis said. “We probably have only about 15 pumpkins left.”
While students began to paint their pumpkins, Nobis encouraged students to interact and get to know those at their tables. Nobis himself engaged with students by visiting every student table.
Nobis started the Sojourn Collegiate Ministry 12 years ago due to feeling a lack of community on campus. Since then the Sojourn group has hosted student engagement events every Wednesday.
“We think one of the biggest injustices on campus is the loneliness that is rampant on college campuses,” Nobis said. “This is one injustice I believe we can fix simply by being invitational and intentional, so every Wednesday we gather to not only have fun but to learn someone’s name and their story. ”
First-year Sojourn member Aiden Murray learned about the group through attending previous events. Murray attended this event for his love of the Halloween season.
“I thought it would just be a great way to spend my Wednesday night,” Murray said. “Just painting pumpkins with my friends and building more friends.”
Not all attendees are part of the Sojourn organization.
“We are a Christian group, but our Wednesday night activity has no obvious spiritual elements,” Norbis said. “I believe what we do every Wednesday is incredibly spiritual simply because it meets a need, but there is nothing overtly spiritual about having fun. ”
Nobis explained that all students are encouraged to come to Sojourn events. Further stressing that whether they are members, non-members or of spiritual faith, all students are welcomed.
First-year Sienna Joplin was thrilled to have participated in the pumpkin painting event.
“I came tonight because I thought it would be a great opportunity to make friends and it’s the perfect fall activity,” Joplin said.
Nobis made sure to make space for students to paint a pumpkin that arrived later into the event. Nobis said that the event felt like a success.
“I think the event was a huge success, a lot of people came,” Nobis said. “Our version of success is people getting plugged in or meeting a friend, and I think people are mingling at their tables, which is a huge one.”
Nobis encourages students to participate in weekly events hosted by the Sojourn Collegiate Ministry for more fun activities to bring students together.
“I hope students take away the fact they are loved simply for who they are,” Nobis said. “I hope they have fun and want to come back. We use fun simply as a way to break down barriers and let students interact with each other. ”
Students who’d like to learn more can visit @sojourn_uri on Instagram for the next Sojourn Collegiate Ministry event.