First Large In-Person Event Since Pandemic

For the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, live music played at Rockhurst with the return of Rockstock. The annual concert, held April 30 and hosted by the Student Activities Board, was laid out differently compared to years past due to continued safety guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Senior SAB E-Board member Holly Sullivan headed up planning for the event.

“We had to transform what the event was going to look like, so we [SAB] started really planning and finalizing details in March. It was definitely a rewarding experience to see all of my ideas come to life and to see students enjoying the event,” Sullivan said.

There were four stations for students to attend: Carnival games and food trucks, a skating rink, Winter Theater Conglomeration, and of course, live music. The skating rink was popular amongst attendees; they were able to skate in the Convocation Center gym while taking turns to observe the capacity limit. The Winter Theater Conglomeration is also an annual event put on by the theater department. This year, however, it was included in the Rockstock festivities. Another feature of the event was the local artist Broderick Jones performed for Rockhurst students and their guests to finish off a busy evening. Jones is originally from Kansas and does primarily pop music. Jones performed a mix of his own music and covers to a crowd of excited students.

The quad was used for food and games. Tables were laid out so students could eat and socialize. Various lawn games were available to play around the quad and earn tickets, including a bottle ring toss, a cake walk, and large inflatable basketball and soccer games. Rockhurst sophomore Alex Garcia enjoyed the carnival games and food trucks.

“I loved the lawn games and food trucks. It was great because everything was free and fun,” Garcia said.

The event was nostalgic for some students. With the pandemic, large, in-person events have been rare at Rockhurst. Sophomore Ty Gregory reminisced on his freshman year and experiencing his first Rockstock after it was canceled in 2020 as the campus shut down following spring break.

“It was so good to see fellow Rockhurst students outside doing things together and having fun. It made it feel like my freshman year again, with people always hanging out. The concert was a new experience for me since we didn’t have Rockstock my freshman year,” Gregory said.

This year, Rockstock was laid out differently to observe capacity and social distancing requirements.  Regardless of the changes, students were thankful for a large event where they could mingle freely. After the cancellation of Rockstock last year, this year’s event created so much buzz and excitement among the students. Sullivan, as a senior, is thankful to end her last year at Rockhurst with the finale of Rockstock.

“It was amazing to see so many students on campus again and feel some normalcy. I heard from a lot of students that it felt like a reunion for the seniors since some of us hadn’t seen each other all year,” Sullivan said.

Edited by Micaela Gutierrez