The Stood: Hit or Miss?

By Thomas Dachik

The Student Center, the "Stood," is operated by students where parties and various events are put on. The Stood has come under fire for lack of advertisements for events, an issue students and staff are hopeful will be resolved (Photo by Thomas Dachik)

The Purchase College Student Center, the "Stood” for short, is a solely student operated campus facility with oversight from Student Life, that hosts countless parties and events

throughout the school year. Despite negative feedback on Stood party execution from previous years, students say they carry optimism for what could be a fun-filled year in terms of nightlife.

Michael Doebbler, a junior arts management major, attests to the Stood’s previous setbacks in delivering a fun nightlife atmosphere to a lack of advertising ability. “The Stood has not really advertised many of their events in the past and could easily up their game if they decided to take better advertising routes,” Doebbler said.

The Stood has video games and a pool table for students to play during parties or in-between sets at concerts (Photo by Thomas Dachik)

In agreement with Doebbler is fellow Julia Viscusi, a junior arts management major, who suggests not only better advertising strategies, but also a couple other potential explanations for the low turnout in the past.

“Advertising needs a little work, and A.C. should be installed in the bathrooms since it is really hot. People are also spray-painting graffiti on the bathroom walls after they have recently been repainted,” Viscusi said.

However, other students have lots of positive feedback about the Stood parties and are optimistic for the future, including Kaden Kim, a junior music technology major, who reflects on his first year at Purchase amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Covid really conflicted with incoming freshmen back in 2021, and there are lots of beneficial changes being made in terms of nightlife,” Kim said.

A group of students in the Stood during Jumpoff weekend in early September (Photo by Thomas Dachik)

The Purchase Student Government Association (PSGA) is a non-profit organization responsible for advocating for the student population and managing funds brought in from the Mandatory Student Activity Fee (MSAF). Their intentions are set on furthering the interests and welfare of the students at Purchase.

PSGA General Programming Coordinator Bernardo Manzolillo is improving the nightlife experience at the Stood, as he is in charge of bookings along with the Students Activities Board (SAB).

Manzolillo credits the Stood's incoming potential coming to the freshman class.

Two freshmen who have attended Stood parties are Fernando Leyva and Noah Baisch, who are both acting majors. Right off the bat, Baisch expresses a pleasant surprise in the atmosphere, stating that he “didn’t think it would be so active.”

Leyva describes the outings as his means of meeting new people on campus. “It’s a great way to become a part of the student body.”

“[The Stood] encompasses the whole student body, and it’s a good way to create connections, especially in the beginning of the year,” Leyva said.