Core, part of Campus Activities & Programs (CAP) Center, is a committee of students that works to plan weekly on-campus events for the University community. These events provide interactive entertainment and various opportunities for students to meet and interact with one another. Above all, Core seeks to promote a positive, inviting and engaging environment for students.

Although Core may be unfamiliar to some, many students may recognize this organization by the name under which it was previously known as Activities and Campus Events (ACE). Core’s current president, Lydia Naughton ’21, explains, “Core was born out of a student organization called ACE in the spring 2020 semester. Before Core, I was involved in ACE as a programming chair, and I oversaw events including Canoe Battleship, Cake Wars, River Rush, and Fire Show. Ultimately, we decided to transform ACE into Core because we wanted to change the infrastructure and rebrand the club. One of the main changes we wanted to make is that we wanted to create a collaborative, tight knit team of student leaders that would be the ‘core’ of CAP Center event offerings.”

“Core currently has 14 student members and a faculty advisor who are all heavily involved in the planning and execution of our campus events. This dynamic has worked very well the last couple semesters and can only improve in the future as new members join our team,” Core Executive Planner Caitlin Colicchio ’23 said.

Following their rebranding, Core planned various exciting events for the Spring 2020 semester. Some of these events included Casino Night, Cake Wars, DIY Night, Bingo Blingo and more. Although the closing of the University’s campus in March 2020 prevented the organization from hosting some of the events that they had planned, the students of Core got to work planning for the Fall 2020 semester. Navigating uncharted territory, the organization had to plan their events around new and changing COVID-19 regulations. This meant rethinking snack distribution, maintaining social distancing, providing sanitation supplies and reducing contact between students.

“Being part of Core during COVID-19 is especially interesting because it challenges me to think in creative ways that promote interaction and fun with proper safety regulations,” Executive Planner Carole Beckhorn ’23 said.

Despite the many challenges, Core was able to plan events that allowed students to engage in their community and socialize with their fellow students, all while maintaining a safe environment. Some of their fall events included Bingo, DIY Night, S’mores & More, Country Fair, Just Desserts and Escape Rooms, to name a few. While these events may have looked different than previous semesters, they proved to be a success and received positive reactions from students.

While the University deals with rising COVID-19 cases in the first few weeks of this semester, students can rest assured that Core will have some exciting events planned for when in-person events resume. Helen Goble ’23, an executive planner for Core, remains hopeful for future events, stating, “hopefully we can host bigger events in the future, but I definitely recommend checking out any events you can!”

To keep up to date with Core’s events, go to the Campus Activities & Programs Instagram page, @bucknellcapcenter.