As finals week looms, Marian University students found a welcome reprieve from academic pressure during the second annual De-Stress Fest—an event filled with relaxing activities, free treats, and community engagement.
The event was led by sophomore Caroline Doorley, a business management and marketing double major with a ministry studies minor. Doorley revived the event, which was originally introduced by former Campus Activities Board (CAB) President Noah Cochard after “Reading Day” was removed from the academic calendar.
“This year, we had a much larger turnout than I was expecting,” said Doorley. “While we don’t have an exact count due to some students forgetting to scan the attendance QR code, we estimate around 75 to 100 students participated.”
The event featured a variety of stress-relief activities hosted by different student organizations and campus offices. While Doorley offered a few suggestions based on last year’s event, each group selected its activity, promoting creativity and ownership.
Organizations involved were the women of Marian, Knights for Life, Women in Business, Project Sunshine, Sigma Zeta, College of Arts and Sciences, Freshman Class Board, Academic Commons, Office of Student Activities, The Unity Center, Marian Athletics, and Student Government.
Coordinating the event required significant planning and collaboration, but Doorley emphasized the importance of helping students recharge.
“The Campus Activities Board understands how important it is for students to take a break,” said Doorley. “This gives them a free and fun chance to step away from studying for a bit.”
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many students saying the event helped them decompress and boosted their emotional well-being—something Doorley is deeply passionate about.
“Mental health is really important to me,” said Doorley. “In high school, I was part of Hope Squad, a peer-nominated group focused on mental health awareness, and I helped found The GEM Project Dayton, a nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention. Being able to bring those passions to my work here at Marian is incredibly rewarding.”
Looking ahead, Doorley and CAB hope to make De-Stress Fest a long-standing tradition and are exploring the possibility of hosting similar events throughout the academic year.
Her advice to other campuses considering similar initiatives? “Do it! It takes a lot of hard work and teamwork, but it’s cool seeing your work turn into a
meaningful event.”
Doorley credited the event’s success to her team and campus supporters, including Natalie Priser, vice president of CAB; Sarah Balana-Molter, director of student activities; Daniel Flores, assistant director of student activities; and Tyler Paul, director of first-year experience.
Thanks to their collective efforts, students walked into finals week a little more relaxed—and a lot more supported.