Ideas to Bring Campus to Life
A school with ample facilities and a community of passionate, high-quality students, Mt. Hood Community College carries with it an appearance that is truly weird, feeling like it’s not what it’s supposed to be.
As an MHCC student, you might have the same feeling as I that this place is missing something, right? Perhaps you’re also puzzled, not quite sure what I’m referring to here, because maybe we haven’t spent enough time lingering around the college after each class to truly notice the issue this campus is facing. It’s not a major problem, nor does it directly cause any serious impact, but it subtly affects us in many ways.
The issue I’m talking about at MHCC is: Why does this place feel so strangely empty and gloomy, despite the promising quality of its facilities and the people within it? And with a large number of classes related to artwork, why does the college look so dead quiet?
The first reason that comes to mind is that the school isn’t truly making good use of its existing facilities, and along with that, its people. Starting with the physical layout, you can see that our Gresham campus has a long row of classrooms that aren’t very tall – so why not use those wall spaces to decorate with graffiti, banners, screens, etc., instead of just leaving them bare, making the place feel abandoned and empty to the point of being boring? (At least the landscaped scenery is pretty nice and well-maintained, so it’s not that bad.
Can students really unleash their creativity here daily when they’re constantly surrounded by cold, lifeless, dull, boring, soulless, worn-out, flat, and gloomy walls?
So: How can we change a place like this? The solution doesn’t lie far, it’s right here within the students who are studying here. Remember I mentioned the long and not-too-high walls? Exactly. Why not take advantage of students’ creativity and enthusiasm to express the freshness and energy that this new generation can bring? (Art class students would be happy if people could see their works.)
Another thing this school lacks is real spirit. While there are scheduled events and activities throughout the year, the absence of consistent student-run and student-led events that are noticeable to a casual student has contributed to a lack of vibrancy and appeal to those of us on campus.
Some positive changes have come; we’re beginning to see more and more events taking place, such as Black History Month, Club Fair, and student election events, and to me, they’re working. But without enough of those activities – combined with effective promotion and advertising – we’re missing out on opportunities, wasting the students’ youthful energy, and making sure the only thing they look forward to following class is… going home.
Changing this little by little can help rebuild the school’s vitality, encourage more participation, and give people a reason to stay, to engage, and to become a part of this community. (Ask the marketing and event planning class: These students know solutions, and want to help.)
The final issue I want to bring up is the school’s identity in the eyes of young people. Let’s be honest: Do you even know what the school’s logo looks like? Or at the very least, did you know our school has an Instagram page? (Wait… does it even have one?)
The lack of promotion and investment in the school’s image has, in a way, made it feel bland, lacking character and energy. One way to address this is to rebuild the school’s image on social media platforms, catching onto trends in a clever and relevant way to introduce the school. We could totally take advantage of our Integrated Media classes, like photography, filmmaking, or graphic design, for that.
In short, what I’m aiming for here is to encourage student participation and contribution to the school’s activities and efforts, turning students into the core, the very heart of MHCC, and letting that heartbeat reach and inspire even more people.
Of course, bringing that vision to life isn’t something that can happen overnight. It will take time, effort, and a well-thought-out, detailed plan with a clear roadmap. That said, I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing positive changes at MHCC.)
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