More than 3,000 attend MAINstage festivities

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Thousands of students and community members gathered around the Rose Ponds and Lot 62 Sunday afternoon to kick off the 2011-2012 school year at MAINstage.

About 70 vendors and 210 Registered Student Organizations participated at MAINstage, said Kellie DeSchutter, Troy senior and MAINstage Student Coordinator.

“This year is bigger than the last,” DeSchutter said. “We have more activities and games this year and more RSOs involved.”

The Student Government Association was present with their new Vice President Colleen McNeely, Brighton junior, and President Vince Cavataio informing students about SGA.

“We’re here because we’d like to get students more involved in SGA and make SGA more relevant to students and their needs,” McNeely said.

President Cavataio commented about the displayed ‘Students 4 Faculty’ pins on SGA’s table.

“I personally support the Faculty Association,” Cavataio said. “My main concern, however, is making sure classes start on-time, and I think they will.”

The number of students who attended was not counted, but DeSchutter said there were approximately 3,000 students expected to attend.

“It’s a fun day before school starts for students to have fun and relax,” she said.

Attractions included carnival rides, inflatables, break dancers, mechanical bull riding, a Galaxy Wars 2 simulator, free food, refreshments and swag.

“MAINstage is great because you get to know about everything on campus in one place,” said Sabrina Stackpoole, Clinton Township freshman.

Stackpoole said she also liked the break dancers and fighters.

Coleman freshman Lindsay Ranck said she attended MAINstage because she was interested in the RSOs.

“I came to find out more information about the Harry Potter Club and the sororities,” said Ranck. “Everyone here is really open and happy to helping students get interested and involved in campus.”

Others RSOs on-site included MHTV, CMU’s student-run television station, Spectrum (formerly the Gay/Straight Alliance at CMU), who welcome the LGBT community, the Red Cross Club, who organize blood drives on campus and the Herpetological Society.

“The Herpetological Society introduces exotic animals and reptiles to students and teaches students how to keep them as pets,” said Wenjun Li, China graduate student.

A bearded dragon, blue tegu lizard and spider ball python are just some of the exotic reptiles who joined Li at the Herpetological Society table.

“People tend to think these animals and reptiles are evil and aggressive, and we want to show them that they’re actually not,” Li said.

MAINstage also featured three musical acts. CMU Program Board Concert Chair Jordan Benghiat, Southfield junior, said Program Board decided to showcase smaller acts for the second year in a row.

“We decided to keep it smaller so we could bring bigger performers throughout the year,” Benghiat said.

Musical acts included alternative rock band Alternate Theory, electronic artist GRiZ and hip-hop artist Smitty.

“MAINstage is a place for people to come and check out RSOs and I wanted to offer a variety of genres for the varieties of people who come out,” Benghiat said.