By Daniel Wilson

26 August 2024

As the smiling faces of the Hornet family filled the Main Quad on Friday evening, the sun broke through the trees, chasing away the gloomy skies and a few rain showers. A light breeze carried the aroma of freshly cooked food through the air.

The change in weather was a fitting symbol for the joyous celebration that marked the start of the new year at Sac State. More than 10,000 new students, their families and supporters, and other members of the campus community came together to eat, enjoy music, dance and mingle at the annual Hornet Nest Fest.

“The return of students with our Hornet Nest Fest is always an exciting start to the academic year,” said Kristen Tudor, chief of staff to the president at Sac State. “Nest Fest is a fantastic opportunity for our students and their supporters to start the semester off right.”

Sac State President Luke Wood welcomed attendees and encouraged students to get involved on campus before introducing representatives from the university’s sports teams and Greek organizations who spoke about their programs.

“Events like Nest Fest are important for freshmen because we want students to get involved,” Wood said after the event. “At Nest Fest, we showcased our clubs, our organizations, our fraternities, our sporting events and more. The most important thing is to network. Get involved in something on campus because that’s where you build the community that will keep you here.”

As befits a celebration to mark the start of the year, Nest Fest guests were treated to a plethora of games, entertainment and activities. Sac State mascot Herky greeted guests while Dean of the University Library Amy Kautzman shot T-shirts from a cannon.

“I think the turnout was phenomenal. This is the highest turnout in Sacramento State history. It shows that we know how to create engagement that allows students to express themselves and their individual identities.” – President Luke Wood

Food choices included beans and rice, brisket with macaroni and cheese, biscuits and a variety of beverages. The Sac State Marching Band, cheer and dance teams performed while attendees played giant Jenga and cornhole. A dance competition was held later in the evening.

In addition to fun and games, the event also gave new students the opportunity to learn about the university’s programs and services. Vendors and campus organizations on site included the Sac State Aquatic Center, Associated Students Inc., Hornet Hospitality, Xfinity, The WELL, the Alumni Association and the College of Continuing Education Paramedic program.

Student Health, Counseling and Wellness Services also offered free flu shots. Co-Master of Ceremonies and Executive Director of University Housing Services Samuel Jones took the stage to get vaccinated and encourage the massive crowd to do the same.

Sac State Sustainability worked with its campus partners to ensure that Nest Fest is a zero-waste event and “at least 90% of the waste generated will be kept out of the landfill.” This accomplishment is one of the university’s goals on its journey toward its 2030 zero-waste goal.

Among those attending Nest Fest was Robert Russell Jr., a first-year film student who was inspired by Sac State graduate Ryan Coogler, the director of “Black Panther” and other hit films. He had traveled to Sacramento from Indiana accompanied by his parents, who said they wanted to support their son in moving so far from home.

“Sac State was really the only school that jumped out at me on paper, and all my other options were schools in the Midwest,” Russell Jr. said. “I just had to go with my gut in the situation and pick what I really felt, and Sacramento State was definitely the option I felt.”

Russell Sr. and his wife Bridget enjoyed getting to know the fun and supportive community at Sac State.

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“We were impressed with Dr. Wood’s story and everything we saw. He cares about students and really tries to provide them with a supportive environment so they can achieve their future goals, whatever that may be,” said Russell Sr.

Sebastian Andres Gonzalez-Perez, a freshman studying kinesiology and planning to become a physical therapist, said he chose Sac State after touring the campus and falling in love with the trees and architecture. He attended Nest Fest with his parents, Sebastian Gonzalez and Tania Perez-Rivera, who said they felt welcomed at Sac State.

“I think everyone has gone out of their way to make us feel comfortable, not just (our son) but the whole family, and that means a lot to us,” Gonzalez said. “As parents sending their child to college, we want to make sure we are included.”

Nest Fest was part of a two-day celebration of activities that brought the Sac State University campus back to life for the 2024-25 academic year. In his fall address Thursday, Wood highlighted the university’s accomplishments during his first year as president and outlined the challenges and goals ahead. Later that day, the university held two graduation ceremonies where 2,500 new students, their families and supporters celebrated the beginning of their college journey.

The new Hornets living on campus spent Thursday unpacking their belongings in the North Village dorms.

Wood called Nest Fest a great success and an event of its kind that is critical to student success.

“I think the turnout was phenomenal,” Wood said. “This is the highest turnout in Sacramento State’s history. It shows that we know how to create an engagement that allows students to express themselves and their individual identities. We are a proud institution that serves Hispanics, African Americans and Asians and Pacific Islanders. You can see how we lean into our identities to make sure that every student, no matter what community they come from, knows that this is their home.”