FMU hosted its first open house of the year on Jan. 27 in the newly renovated Smith University Center (UC).
The open house kicked off in the UC with tables from every department on campus.
Tracy McClam, administrative assistant to the dean of the school of business, was pleased with the number of students who stopped by the School of Business table.
“I was very happy with the number of students who came over to our table and showed an interest in the school of business,” McClam said.
As this is the first semester with the newly rennovated UC, this was the first open house to show off the new look to potential future students.
“I think the open house in the newly renovated UC is a great idea,” Tyson Jackson, junior economics and supply chain management major, said. “It’s a lot bigger than the honors center and we have more room for everyone. It’s easier for everyone to socialize and get to know the students that are trying to decide whether to come to FMU or not.”
Another potential benefit is how it could attract more students. Seeing a newly furnished building could help entice students to the beauty of FMU.
“I do believe that our renovated UC attracts more new students that are there at open house,” Jackson said. “It makes our campus more appealing and less outdated, and it’s a very big attractive point for future athletes.”
Junior history major and student diplomat Brailey Sloan led students and families to the Chapman Auditorium to hear a speech from university president Luther Carter after visiting the tables in the UC. Sloan was pleased with such a high turnout of students for the first open house of the semester.
“I believe that it went extremely well, with quite a large turnout for such an early open house of the semester,” Sloan said. “After the initial overview, families were given the option to choose between four different talks, all pertaining to different aspects of what it means to be a student at Francis Marion, including Housing, Student Life, CASA and Athletics, just to name a few. To me, it is wonderful that incoming families and those interested in Francis Marion as an academic choice have the option to choose which talk would suit them best, and it is incredible that we as a school have the resources and opportunity to give that chance to them.”
Sloan advises that incoming students get involved on campus, as it is an opportunity to meet more people.
“What I would say to an incoming student for Fall 2024 is to get involved,” Sloan said. “I know it’s a bit of a cliche thing to say, but I really found my place here at Francis Marion when I started to go to campus events and get involved with organizations. It is a wonderful opportunity to do what you love with other people and to form strong bonds with people that may help you down the line. Our community is wonderful and fun, with a strong academic base, but it’s more than just class and grades. I have met so many amazing people and have tried so many new and exciting things, like becoming a Diplomat! All of it has really helped me to grow as a person and expand my own personal community.”
Deon Evans, director of the Center for Academic Success and Advisement (CASA), also thought that the open house went great due to its turnout.
“I think the open house went well and the turnout was great,” Evans said. “I love to engage with the potential students to learn about their future career paths. The parents are always excited to learn how we support their kids with securing internships and jobs.”
Evans typically sees about 10-15 students and their families per open house. He believed that the newly renovated UC is a great talking point with future students, as well, because it showcases how the university is continuously growing and changing.