NSU tradition goes full-circle

The Freshman Coin Walk, a Northeastern State University tradition that started in 2010, came full-circle in 2014 when the first class of freshmen to receive their coins reached graduation.

As directed, many of the freshmen who took their first steps on campus in August of 2010, gave away the coins they received during their Freshman Coin Walk.

Laura Boren, NSUs previous vice president for Student Affairs, was part of a committee working on student engagement, and she brought the idea of freshmen receiving coins to the committee from a similar event at Texas A&M. Each freshman who receives a coin is instructed to save it and give it to someone on campus who positively impacts their time at NSU or who has served as a mentor them.

Since its inception on NSUs campus, Student Activities has seen a good turn-out for the event that takes place during the first week of the fall semester. Several hundred freshmen participate in the Coin Walk each year, which is followed by Freshman Convocation. This event is one of many that the University hosts to help students get engaged and integrated into the NSU community during the beginning of the semester.

We hope that through this event and the giving of the coin that students feel a sense of support from the faculty and staff, as well as see this as a goal to seek out those mentoring type of relationships that will help them graduate in four years, Sarah Johnson, coordinator of Campus Activities said.

Johnson, who was the recipient of a coin from Ethan Hayman, a recent NSU graduate who now works as a Development Officer, said that she felt very honored to receive it.

I love this tradition, she said. It means a lot to hear that you have impacted someone so significantly through your everyday interactions at NSU.

Hayman, who admittedly found it a challenge to find his coin after four years, knew without a doubt that he would gift his coin to Johnson.

I had gotten to know Sarah during my four years through taking part in and leading more than a few student organizations and activities, Hayman said.

She was always an incredible leader, mentor, and a friend that I looked up to and would always seek out her advice on everything from leadership decisions to just regular college life problems. She knew me very well and knew my strengths and weaknesses as a leader. I don't know if it was always intentional or if it just kind of worked out that way but it seemed every time there was an area of my personal leadership development I needed to work on she had a task or a role that I could take part in that would teach me a lesson in that area.

Steven English, who recently graduated from NSU and currently works as a NSU University Representative called the tradition unique and a great idea for both students and staff and faculty.

This is such a good way for students to be engaged, and its also a great opportunity for the staff and faculty to look forward to being recognized for helping students out and being mentors to them, English said.

English, who held onto his coin for all four years at NSU, gave his coin to Christopher Copeland, a speech instructor, explaining that Copeland played a large part in influencing his to come to NSU and pushed him to set high expectations for himself, always instilling NSUs core values.

For more information on the Freshman Coin Walk, contact Student Activities at 918-444-2526.

Published: 2015-09-01 16:18:11.020000