Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-24-09 4th Annual Explore South Bend Frosh Bus Tour Introduces New Students to the City Office of the Mayor NEWS RELEASE August 24, 2008 2:00 p.m. Contact: Mikki Dobski, Mayor’s Office (574) 235-5855, Cell (574) 876-1564 th 4 Annual Explore South Bend Frosh Bus Tour Introduces New Students to the City Now in its fourth year, the Explore South Bend Frosh Bus Tour will yet again present the city’s historical, entertainment, business, educational and cultural attractions to the new class of students coming to South Bend for the first time this fall. This year’s tour will take place today, th August 24from 5 p.m. to approximately 6:30 p.m. What began four years ago as an idea developed by the Mayor’s Office and Notre Dame Student Government has now grown into an event that welcomes students from four local colleges and universities and involves numerous community institutions? Transpo will continue to play a large role by providing buses for the 250 students expected to participate from the University of Notre Dame, St. Mary’s College, Indiana University South Bend, and Holy Cross College. The tours will be led by volunteer guides from the community who will introduce the students to the numerous attractions along the tour route as well as their own experiences living in South Bend. Mayor of South Bend, Steve Luecke, “for four years now, we’ve had the opportunity to welcome and introduce new students to all that South Bend offers as the regional center for arts, culture, sports, and entertainment, business, commerce, education and health. Our hope for this event is that it is the only the beginning of students’ experience in South Bend. We encourage and invite all of these students to seek out the attractions and local businesses they learn about on the tour and to explore the many facets of South Bend.” -more- Pg. 2 Rick Brown, the General Manager of Transpo, said “Transpo is always happy to be a part of this program. It is very important to be able to introduce new students to what this area has to offer.” The buses will depart from designated locations at the four participating colleges and universities. The tour route will focus mostly on the downtown area and feature sites such as Coveleski Stadium, Studebaker Museum, Center for History, Oliver Mansion, College Football Hall of Fame, East Race waterway, Century Center and the Morris Performing Arts Center, in addition to locally owner restaurants and retail along the route. The tour will conclude at the Jon Hunt Plaza in front of the Morris Performing Arts Center, where the students will be able to experience a variety of the area’s best pizzas, donated by Barnaby’s, Bruno’s, and Luigi’s. At this time, Mayor Steve Luecke will be joined by representatives from the Morris Performing Arts Center, TRANSPO, ND Downtown, the Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, and DTSB in welcoming these new students to South Bend. After hearing from a number of these community leaders, the students will have a chance to win raffle prizes including gift certificates from local restaurants and the grand prize of Notre Dame Football tickets. Bridget Slonkosky, the Director of Student Activities at Holy Cross College said, “As freshman step into their new found freedom in an unknown area, the Frosh Tour is an extremely beneficial avenue for our incoming students to become acquainted with the city of South Bend and the endless opportunities and amenities it has to offer them.” Julie Williams, Director of International Student Services at IUSB also commented on the benefits of this event. “The Freshman Tour is a wonderful opportunity for students who are new to the area to become familiar with the South Bend area,” she said, “The students not only participate in a tour of South Bend, but they also learn about all the great restaurants, resources, and events in our community.” Grant Schmidt, Notre Dame Student Body President, added, “The South Bend Frosh Bus Tour is by far one of most important events of the year for Student Government. Partnering with the Mayor’s Office, TRANSPO, and local businesses allows us to introduce the incoming freshman class to their new home. There is an incredible amount of value in having familiarity with our surrounding community and knowing all that it has to offer. It is my hope that upon initially viewing the surrounding area during the tour, the freshmen will continue to immerse themselves in the culture and will feel comfortable collaborating with fellow community members.” -more- Pg. 3 St. Mary’s College Student Body President, Jenny Hoffman, echoed these thoughts in saying, “The South Bend Frosh Bus Tour is an excellent way for freshmen to become familiar with the city of South Bend. We hope that the tour will encourage students to become more involved in the community while simultaneously educating them on the convenience and accessibility of the Transpo system. The tour is a wonderful resource for freshmen, and we strongly encourage them to take advantage of it.” -30-