Associated Students Productions (ASP) is Sonoma State’s biggest student-led group on campus, and they provide a ton of programming to enhance the college experience for all students. In the upcoming weeks of November, ASP will be hosting a number of social events for students, as well as community service opportunities.

In these following weeks, ASP has a number of events planned for the remainder of the Fall 2021 semester, in an effort to keep students engaged with their campus community. These upcoming events include a comedy bingo night with guest comedian Pete Lee on Nov. 12,  another Paint and Sip event on Nov. 18, a Tie-Dye Mania event on Nov. 9, and much more. On top of these much-anticipated events, students will have opportunities through JUMP (Join Us Making Progress) to get volunteers within their community for Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week.

Eliseo Fragoso Jr., a student at SSU, attended a Paint and Sip night event just a few weeks ago. In this event, students were able to release some of their stress by painting on a canvas, as well as drinking some wine if they are 21+. According to Fragoso, he was able to paint “a decent looking painting of pumpkins while listening to music with friends,” and the event has proven to be a favorite amongst other students. 

Evelyn Munguia, another SSU student, has also attended quite a few ASP events on campus this semester, stating that it has helped her rebuild some of her social confidence that she had lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Munguia stated, “They were fun! It’s a nice way to get out and interact with others since most everything has been online for the past year and a half.”

Maia Madrigal-Hernandez, an event director for ASP, expressed her excitement from seeing their events gain traction amongst students. “All year, the thing that has excited me the most about these events is just seeing so many students. This past year and a half have been hard, with being stuck at home, and finally being able to have the “real” college experience on campus again makes me so happy.”

Being that the program is student-led, it allows for students to decide what they would like to see, as well as what they can see themselves participating in. All events and ideas are curated by students for students, helping to allow a more accurate representation of what students would like to see.

ASP encourages students to pitch their own ideas for events, and Madrigal-Hernandez explained how students can go about doing so. “Every other Weds., we have an event director tabling in Seawolf Plaza, and students can go up to them and write down any idea that they might have. Also, our office is on the second floor of the student center, and students are welcome to visit and let us know their ideas. We can also be reached through Instagram, @as_sonoma.”

While ASP aims to host events that enhance student life, some students might feel discouraged by going to events due to possible safety concerns. However, ASP reassures students that they have been following a rigid and strict safety structure for all in-person events. Mariah Atkins, the program coordinator for Associated Students, stated that “We are being as careful as we can, and we have been working with CES and Risk Management to ensure that our events are in compliance with COVID-19 protocols. For all of our events, students are required to show us their clearance screen and check-in via Engage to keep track of attendance. Upon check-in, AS ensures that everyone is wearing their masks indoors and being safe, while also providing hand sanitizer for participants’ safety.”

For students’ first semester back in over a year, Sonoma State has aimed to make sure that all students feel heard and are able to get engaged with the campus community. Make sure to check out everything that Associated Students has to offer for the month of Nov., and stay tuned for more events throughout the semester.