Illinois State University students have hit the halfway mark of the fall semester, which means midterm exams, group projects, and late-night cram sessions are in full swing.
To help students unwind—and smile—during this challenging point in the schoolyear, the College of Business (COB) Business Week team organized COB Smile Day.
October 4 is World Smile Day, with the goal of encouraging everyone to “Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile!” Embracing that mission, the Business Week team hosted the first-ever COB Smile Day in the College of Business atrium on October 3.
Attendees were treated to complimentary goodies such as stress balls, stickers, and smiley pins distributed by COB faculty and staff, and they had the opportunity to decorate their own sugar cookies. Student Counseling Services set up a booth to pass out helpful mental health resources, and Illinois State Police resource dog Pawficer Sage made a special guest appearance.
“The friendly people waving us down made me want to check out the event,” said junior accounting major Gabriel Heather who was one of the event’s attendees.
Activities included a wall for random acts of kindness, where participants shared their ideas, and a photo booth with fun, yellow props. Senior human resource management major Matt Saldivar particularly enjoyed the card-making station for residents of a local nursing home.
“I love seeing everybody here together having fun,” Saldivar said. “It feels good to know that doing one simple thing can make someone else’s day a little better.”
Sophomore risk management and insurance major Corey Urban was one of the event organizers for COB Smile Day. He said events like these are important for the well-being of students and for community-building efforts.
“I think creating activities that you wouldn’t usually have in a professional setting, and especially in a classroom, that are super creative really draws in people’s attention and gets them involved in interacting with one another and building this big college of business community,” Urban said.
Of the 250 supplies available for attendees, everything was gone by the end of the event, marking a successful inaugural COB Smile Day. The atmosphere was upbeat and friendly, as students chatted, enjoyed the activities, and, most importantly, built community and spread smiles.
Business Week is a 46-year tradition hosted by the College of Business, providing engaging and authentic professional opportunities for students to interact closely with alumni, employers, and industry leaders. This weeklong event, taking place February 24-28, helps students develop essential soft skills and gain insights for success.
All students, regardless of their major, are welcome to attend and are encouraged to sign up for the Mentor/Mentee Program. Mentor/mentee pairs will collaborate on professional skills and participate in a pre-Business Week event organized by the Mentor Program Coordinators. Applications for the program close October 18.
