Santa Monica College Hosted Start Up Resource Fair
The early-semester event helped students engage with campus organizations through interactive booths and games.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Health and Wellness
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Santa Monica College held its SMC Start Up event in the main campus quad during the third week of the semester. Students connected with various support groups and health organizations to combat loneliness and disengagement.
Why it matters
The event was specifically scheduled during the third week of the semester to foster student connections and improve overall well-being. By encouraging active participation, the college aimed to reduce student isolation early in the academic term.
Santa Monica College maintains a structured calendar including VIP Welcome Day, SMC Start Up, Midterm Motivation, and Fuel for Finals Week. The institution tracks success through 22 years of leadership experience from key staff.
The players
Santa Monica College
This public community college serves the local Santa Monica community and offers various student support services.
Dr. Kiersten Elliott
She is a long-standing college administrator who has served the institution for 22 years.
The details
Students navigated the quad with game cards, interacting with groups like Health Services, Basic Needs, and the Center for Health and Wellness to earn free food. This approach prioritized active engagement over passive attendance to ensure students became familiar with available campus resources.
Timeline
VIP Welcome Day occurred during the summer before the start of classes.
The SMC Start Up event took place during the third week of the semester.
Industry Dynamics
This initiative follows a pattern set by the American College Health Association's guidelines on student belonging to improve campus retention. Colleges nationwide have increasingly shifted toward interactive welcome events to combat rising trends of isolation in higher education.
Students can utilize these recurring campus events to access free food and vital resource information throughout the semester. The gamified format ensures that attendees directly connect with support staff while navigating their academic term.
The takeaway
Proactive engagement during the first few weeks of a semester is a proven strategy to help students adjust to college life. Students looking to boost their success should prioritize attending resource fairs to build a support network early.
What happens next
Santa Monica College plans to host a Midterm Motivation event before midterms and a Fuel for Finals Week event toward the end of the semester.
Further reading
Learn more about student support initiatives on the Santa Monica Health and Wellness page.
More information
For additional information on student services, visit the Santa Monica College official website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WestsideToday.
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Should local colleges provide active social and wellness resources to help students stay enrolled?
