The school year may be over, but Sacramento State students can still get involved this summer.

Sac State’s Student Activities, along with organizations and clubs, such as Peak Adventures, Hornet Athletics, and the Aquatic Center, will organize events and opportunities for students to stay involved in campus life during the summer months.

Student Activities

It’s important for new students to be involved in student activities because they expose them to different ways to meet people, make friends and become acclimated to what life is like on campus, said Karlos Santos-Coy, program adviser for Student Activities.

Student Activities will host many events that take place in the first few weeks of the fall 2008 semester. With more than 260 organizations on campus, the department is busy coordinating more than 1,000 events that will take place over the course of the year.

“Student Activities exists to help students get involved, become leaders and get the most out of a college experience,” Santos-Coy said.

One event students can participate in this summer is Residence Hall Move-In Day. During this event, 200 current Sac State student volunteers will help 1,000 new students move into the residence halls. Student Activities will offer free massages for parents and activities to introduce new students to what the campus has to offer.

In addition to events, Student Activities worked with Sac State’s Education Opportunity Program’s Summer Bridge Program to allow 150 underrepresented and low-income students to get a taste of the college life. The program offers courses for credit in addition to a leadership course. The program will hire Sac State students as facilitators for the leadership course. Students can visit the program’s website at www.csus.edu/eop/sb for more information.

For more information on upcoming events, visit www.csus.edu/studentactivities or call (916) 278-6595.

Peak Adventures

Peak Adventures, an outdoor adventure provider, will offer extensive opportunities for incoming freshmen for the upcoming year, said Marketing Specialist Andrea Baker.

This year, Peak Adventures will offer the Freshman Fourpack, a $200 purchase in which students receive four trips. The trips include: one overnight trip, a white water rafting trip and various day and snow trips. Students have a year to take the four trips. The Freshman Fourpack can be purchased at the Peak Adventures office of the University Union.

In addition, Peak Adventures will offer day trips during the summer, specifically designed to help new students meet each other. Freshman Float will give students a chance to raft along the American River and into Folsom Lake during an all-day trip.

One feature the organization is best known for is its ropes course. Over the summer, Peak Adventures will offer Freshman Trek, a half-day event in which freshmen can participate on the ropes course, team building and bonding experiences. The next two days are dedicated to backpacking through the El Dorado National Forrest.

Students can also look forward to events during the beginning of the school year sponsored by Peak Adventures. In addition to its yearly Spooktacular, where the challenge center is transformed into a haunted house, there will be a Fun Factor night where students can engage in activities similar to those of the show Fear Factor.

Baker encouraged students to take advantage of the many opportunities available to them.

“Part of your fees go to support our program,” Baker said. “We want to promote leadership and enhance the learning experience.”

Hornet Athletics

Sports games and events may not be held during the summer, but Sac State’s athletes are still hard at work.

Athletes participate in summer camps in hopes of perfecting their skills as individuals and as a team.

Sac State Football will kick off the new school year with its first game on Aug. 30 at 2:05 p.m. at the Hornet Stadium.

For more information on Sac State’s athletic programs, visit www.hornetsports.com.

Aquatic Center

Located off of Hazel Avenue and Highway 50, Sac State’s Aquatic Center offers everything from lessons on riding jet skis to “standup paddling,” a revolutionary workout.

Students who present their Sac State identification cards will receive a discount on all rentals and on many activities.

A sunset paddle will take place May 23, June 20, July 18, Aug. 15 and Sept. 12. Students will meet at the Aquatic Center and paddle out onto Lake Natomas to watch the sunset and moon rise. The event lasts two and a half hours and costs $20 for students and $30 for the public.

During the summer, a camp for children ages 7 to 17 is offered at the Aquatic Center. Sac State students are encouraged to apply for counselor positions.

“Our students pay for part of this center and we like to hire them, so we can give back to the students,” said Cindi Duljar, operations manager and youth camps director.

The beach at the Aquatic Center, on Lake Natomas, is open during the summer for people to picnic and play games. The center offers a new type of exercise called “standup paddling.” The class lasts for three hours and costs $20 for Sac State Students.

“You are standing on a surfboard-type thing and paddling with one paddle while standing. It takes a lot of balance and develops your core strength,” Duljar said.

The class will take place May 25, June 22 and 27, July 11,13,17, and 22, and Sept. 21.

Amanda Pollard can be reached at [email protected].