Historic campus to trace roots at annual event

More than 50,000 people attended last year's inaugural Rutgers Day, and University students, faculty members and alumni are preparing to top the previous exhibition of the state university of New Jersey.

Rutgers Day, scheduled to take place on April 24, will consist of more than 430 programs on every campus, providing the public with a window into what students and academic departments here have to offer.

"Rutgers is the state university of New Jersey, and we serve the people and communities of the state," College Avenue campus Dean Matt Matsuda said via e-mail correspondence. "Yet, if you would ask, many [New Jersey] residents might say that they actually know little about what a great research university does."

The College Avenue campus this year will offer an array of activities that exhibit the rich history of that campus.

There will be walking tours of a Revolutionary War battlefield and the first residence hall at the University, according to a University press release. Visitors will also be able to see the architecture on the campus, such as Kirkpatrick Chapel and the Old Queens building.

"Interestingly, during the semester, not many students spend much time in the Old Queens part of College Avenue," Matsuda said. "But as the historic beginnings of the University are there, both current students and proud alums can be engaged in [the] ceremony."

Visitors will have the opportunity to ring Henry Rutger's bell located in the Old Queens building and interact with costumed actors representing famous people from the campus' history, he said.

The Old Queens building was not a popular attraction last year, but the University is working to change that, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Delia Pitts said.

"There was so much activity going on further down in the [Voorhees] Mall that many visitors did not come over," she said. "This year, we wanted to bring more visitors by offering more for them to see and do. There is going to be an array of food and fun activities for children surrounding the building, which was all organized by the alumni organization."

Rutgers Day activities on College Avenue will not be restricted to just the New Brunswick campus. It also will showcase some of the work from the Newark and Camden campuses, Matsuda said.

Businesses and organizations around New Brunswick will also be involved in activities on the College Avenue campus, he said.

"As [the College Avenue campus] is a very urban campus, directly integrated with neighborhoods around New Brunswick, the community zone will bring in partners from city markets, cultural centers and public services, like the fire and police departments," Matsuda said.

Campus deans and student groups will be cooperating to put on various programs, he said.

"The deans will likely be operating one of the stages around the Bishop House area, fielding multicultural acts and talents and lending support to the numerous social action, philanthropic, community service and greek-life organizations, connecting their charity and volunteer work to the public," Matsuda said. "In short, [there will be] something for everyone."

Hilary Smith, a School of Environmental and Biological Sciences junior, said Rutgers Day allows the surrounding community to take part in different activities and showcase the University.

"Rutgers Day gets the word out about our school [to people] who might not know about us," she said. "The activities allow both students and families to come and see our school."

Many students are also getting involved this year in holding events at Rutgers Day. More than a third of the programs will be student-run, according to the press release.

Malay Pansheria, a School of Environmental and Biological Sciences junior, is the treasurer of Pilot Me, an organization whose members mentor underprivileged children in the community.

Rutgers Day gives children a chance to get involved and exposes them to resources they may not know exist, Pansheria said.

"I think it is a great opportunity for kids who are underprivileged to get to know about the University," he said. "They usually don't have the resources to find out about Rutgers, so it is a great way to let them know there is a college out there for them and that they can go."