The third annual Student Appreciation Day for Troy main campus will be held on Wednesday, April 19, with the theme of “Making a Difference.” It was originally scheduled for Wednesday, April 5, but was rescheduled due to the severe weather.
“This is an opportunity for faculty to say ‘thank-you’ to students for picking Troy and for their commitment to success in their disciplines,” said Margaret Gnoinska, an associate professor of history and Faculty Senate president.
The event is sponsored by the Faculty Senate, and they are partnering with many campus organizations and departments to provide food, refreshments and giveaways on the Main Quad from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“It is Faculty Senate led and initiated, and now there are more groups involved,” Gnoinska said. “The scope of it changed and is growing.”
The Athletics Department, Alumni Affairs, Barnes & Noble, Development Office and more have assisted with the planning process.
“Planning is a lot of teamwork, and without others, we would not be able to accomplish it,” Gnoinska said.
She said this provides a sense of community among all Troy locations, including Troy Online, and celebrates Troy and the university.
“To create a closer sense of Trojan community, we as faculty are getting to meet other faculty and staff so the two groups get to know each other, and then we get to know students and understand them and their needs better,” Gnoinska said. “You can still experience a sense of community even if you aren’t on campus (for online students).”
Troy Online, through Trojan Café, will also be participating on April 19 by allowing students to enter a random drawing for Troy gear.
Gnoinska said she is looking forward to the interaction between faculty and students.
“I want this to be as intellectually inspiring to talk to their professors outside of the classroom and for students to view us (as professors and instructors) as human beings,” she said.
There will be faculty members from all different fields and colleges, and Gnoinska said she hopes Student Appreciation Day gives the faculty a chance to meet students outside of their own specialty.
“Cross-type of interaction is very vital,” Gnoinska said.
Students also had the opportunity to enter an essay scholarship contest expressing how they are making a difference. According to the website, “this motto is not limited to your particular area of study, but it is encouraged one use their own career goals and current studying path as a way to show how he or she ‘Makes a Difference’ at Troy University.”
Recipients received a $100 Barnes & Noble scholarship and a year membership to the Student Alumni Association.
Brittany Guris, a junior American sign language interpreting major from Bainbridge, Georgia, was awarded a scholarship for her essay focusing on how she can cast a vision and create a new culture within her program.
“We choose what language we use, and we always fall back into the ‘talk’ because this is my first language, but if I could help encourage an environment of us speaking in sign language to other ASL students any time we see them, then we could become better interpreters,” Guris said. “Each ASL student is unique and has chosen this special field for a reason, so we are to work together to serve the deaf community.
“I want to see some change, and I want to inspire that, and maybe we need to have a better culture of diligence to the language.”
Guris said she was not expecting to be awarded the scholarship and hopes to use it to purchase texts that will aid her in a certification she is pursuing.
“I love Barnes & Noble, and I love to read,” Guris said. “I am getting a Doula certification online (which educates women on the birthing process and nutrition), and there are some more books that they encourage you to read to expand your knowledge on it.”
A full list of winners can be found at troy.edu/appreciation.
All Troy students received an email on Wednesday, April 5, for a Barnes & Noble 25 percent discount. According to the email, “print off the email and present it at any Troy University Barnes & Noble location, or use the code at shoptroytrojans.com during check-out. The code will expire on 12/01/17 and cannot be used toward the purchase of textbooks.”
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