Campus Talk: Season 2 - Episode 2

Synopsis

David opens the episode with campus updates, highlighting the beauty of autumn in the Poconos, upcoming theatrical productions, opportunities to join the Campus Activities Board, the student-run Stroud Courier, and programming produced by Comm Center 16.

The first guest is Stella Lucius, an assistant professor and academic counselor with East Stroudsburg University’s Student Support Services program. Stella explains that the federally funded program assists eligible students who need additional academic and personal support. Its services include academic counseling, advising, tutoring, workshops, cultural activities, orientation programs, and recognition events celebrating student achievement.

Stella discusses the different challenges faced by traditional students, transfer students, returning adults, single parents, and students with physical or learning disabilities. She emphasizes that students must be treated as complete individuals whose academic success can be affected by homesickness, family responsibilities, confidence, stress, and difficulty adjusting to university life.

The conversation also explores Stella’s assertiveness-training course, which teaches students how to express themselves and defend their rights without disregarding the rights of others. She describes the importance of group interaction and mutual encouragement when students are developing new personal skills. Stella also explains the role of peer counselors, who receive training to help new students adjust to campus while respecting beliefs and choices that may differ from their own.

In the second segment, David welcomes Lori Huff and Shelley Crick, members of ESU’s newly established women’s varsity soccer team. Lori describes how the program evolved from a loosely organized club into a structured varsity sport with paid coaches, student trainers, regular practices, formal drills, preseason training, and a greater level of commitment from its players.

Shelley discusses the difficult transition from high-school soccer to the faster and more competitive college level. Although the stronger competition was initially discouraging, she explains that playing against more talented opponents ultimately helps her improve.

The players reflect on the excitement of being part of the university’s first women’s varsity soccer season, where every achievement becomes part of the program’s history. They also discuss the challenges of limited resources, shared coaches, inherited uniforms, demanding practices, and balancing athletics with academic responsibilities. Despite those difficulties, Lori and Shelley express pride in helping build a program that future ESU athletes will continue.