On Friday, hundreds of students gathered on Peirce Lawn for the College’s annual Summer Sendoff — the first time the event was held in three years. The event included an outdoor dinner provided by AVI, food trucks, a T-shirt giveaway and — the highlight of the night — a concert featuring singer Mills and electro-pop band BETWEEN FRIENDS.

The College’s student-run Social Board began planning for the event in the fall semester. Along with the Office of Student Engagement (OSE), they vetted a list of potential artists and ranked their top preferences, at which point the OSE began the months-long process of securing performers. The Monday before Sendoff, Social Board received news that the artist they had originally selected as headliner, rapper Audrey Nuna, could not perform. With only four days to find a replacement, Social Board was able to confirm the band BETWEEN FRIENDS as the new headliner the day before the concert. 

“After not having Summer Sendoff for 3 years due to the pandemic, the students in this year’s Social Board were tasked with the difficult challenge of re-establishing Summer Sendoff as a campus tradition for all of campus to enjoy,” Assistant Director of Student Engagement Caleb Young wrote in an email to the Collegian. 

To prepare for the event, security officers roped off Peirce Lawn and checked students’ K-Cards at two separate entrances. Students over the age of 21 could purchase a maximum of three drink tickets. Outside food and drink and other belongings were forbidden at the event.

At 5 p.m., students congregated on the lawn to enjoy a dinner of hamburgers and corn dogs, as well as free food trucks serving fries, fried vegetables and doughnuts. Mills opened the concert later in the evening, and by 8 p.m., people were crowding around the temporary stage to dance and sing along to BETWEEN FRIENDS’ music. It was the LA-based band’s first time performing for a live audience, and they repeatedly expressed their excitement for the crowd’s enthusiasm.

A little past 9 p.m., the concert finished and students began filtering off the lawn. 

“Both Mills and BETWEEN FRIENDS were incredible, and this year’s event was a huge success from both the perspectives of Social Board and the Office of Student Engagement,” said Young.  “Looking forward to bringing back the event next school year!”