Sarah Konig is currently in her last semester at Siena College. She is a senior health studies major with a minor in sociology. She has been actively engaging in activities on campus since her freshman year although her most notable presence on campus is her active involvement within the Office of Health Promotion. She is a dedicated team member of Health Promotion who founded what is now called “Sienas First Birthday Bags”. Sarah is leaving her legacy on campus through this program that will continue to be carried on after her graduation.
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Her Campus Siena: How long have you been with the Office of Health Promotion and when during this time did you create birthday bags?
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Sarah Konig: I’ve been with health promotion since November 2018, my freshman year. Birthday bags started some time in February 2019.
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HCS: How did you come up with the idea to start this program on campus
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SK: My boss and the director of Health Promotion Kate Kaufman Burns showed me a model of something another school did which was a birthday card for freshmen. Theirs was only a card which was still a good idea but I wanted something more. I think our program is a lot more personal because we knock on their doors and give their bag with the card and goodies inside. Since we are a small campus, this is a way of bringing people together as a community. We use birthday bags as a fun way of making sure students celebrate their birthday in healthy and positive ways. In our bags we offer healthy and safe ways to celebrate.
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HCS: What is your favorite part about this awesome program that you’ve created?
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SK: I love the connections that are created with the new class of students that arrive. It’s also fun to get friends together and spread joy around campus. I actually decided to do this in person because as freshmen you don’t really know anyone and with birthday bags we can show that Siena cares and we can build a foundation for freshmen to find their place in our community. If I were to get a birthday bag when I was a freshman I’d instantly feel like the Siena community was there for me and that my presence is acknowledged on campus. I want all students to feel noticed and welcomed. Many people remember me knocking on their door from years ago and some people even kept their birthday cards.
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HCS: Is there anything coming next as you prepare for your graduation?
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SK: My team member Megan Maye and I have actually developed the 21st birthday bag that we are emailing to students turning 21 as a preventative measure to inform students on how to safely celebrate now that they can legally drink. This was obviously inspired by the original first birthday bags and I’m excited to see how they continue to grow.
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HCS: What can you take away from this project once you graduate?
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SK: I learned the importance of outreach among peers and I see how it builds a foundation for a community that cares. This foundation can go a long way and make lasting impacts on the perception of a student’s time on campus. I also see how active involvement on campus can bring awareness and engagement of students. One person sees or hears about the office of health promotion whether it’s through birthday bags or some other program and that person is more likely to pay attention to it or get involved. I also learned how important it is to build connections and how special it can be to know there’s people who are there for you. It only takes one in a room full of 5000 to acknowledge you and want to know you to change your outlook and make you feel less alone.