HAMLET — Richmond Community College was full of color, music and excitement Thursday as the second “Ready, Set, Go SUMMER!” event transformed the campus into a carnival, complete with games, face painting, balloon animals, cotton candy and a corn hole tournament.
“This is our second party in our ‘Ready, Set, Go Summer!’ Series. The first one we had was back in June and it was a beach party and today’s theme is Carnival Day. We’re also having orientation for new students today as well, so this gives our students coming in for orientation something to do as well. We promoted it as a family friendly event, so we invited people to bring their children. We have children’s games and we have a corn hole tournament going on up there. We have free cotton candy and free lemonade— the lemonade is being made by our next step students,” said Wylie Bell, director of marketing and communications at Richmond Community College.
The event was open to the public and designed to be both entertaining and informative. Throughout campus, visitors could find tables and displays highlighting RCC’s many student resources and services.
“We have information about different clubs, programs and resources. We’re making balloon animals and the library has a table over there with a little activity. It’s a way to help students stay engaged through the summer,” said Bell.
Among those resources is Access to Achievement, a program that provides support for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Students can receive personalized plans and assistance with transportation, tutoring and career guidance—no documentation is required to participate.
The summer series began last year under a different name, and based on feedback, RCC adjusted the format to make this year’s events more accessible and better spaced throughout the season.
“Last year we did a tester on it and called it ‘Party on the Patio.’ We did it four weeks in a row, but we felt it was better to space it like we’re doing right now with them taking place once a month. The last one is August 13th— that’s the day our faculty come back, so our faculty will be on campus as well. So far, the first party was great. We had a really good turnout for this one as well,” said Bell.
Bell emphasized the importance of making the college feel like a welcoming, inclusive place for the whole community.
“Richmond County College is a fun place to be. It also shows that our campus is open to the public. We’re offering campus tours if anyone wants a tour, but it’s just that we are your true community college,” she said.
Brandi Miller, assistant director of marketing and communications, said events like these are about building trust and long-term engagement.
“Personally, what I hope people take away from this event and all of the events that we have, is that we are trying to build relationships with the community and keep people engaged. This is a free event, so we want people to take advantage of not only what we are providing them on this day, but all of the services and resources Richmond Community College has to offer. I feel like our college is like a one-stop shop. You can get everything here from training to a degree. You can get help with your resume and you can find a job here. I want people to be able to come to Richmond County College when they need something,” said Miller.
The final event in the summer series, a Back to School Bash, will take place Wednesday, Aug. 13, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It will feature music, games, a raffle, campus tours, lunch specials and frozen treats from a food truck vendor.