Marcela Smid, a medical anthropology major, said she has noticed during her years at CWRU that many students often talk about University staff members as if they are all the same and mostly just a means to an end—their lunch, financial aid check, the copier, etc.

"Many students don't have any real person-to-person interactions with staff," Smid, who is also in the College Scholars Program (CSP) and a founding member of the campus group Catalyst: Students for Social Justice. "I think that's a problem and want to do something about it."

Her solution—part of her senior project for CSP—is Staff-Student Interaction Day, a day to be devoted to personal exchanges between students at all levels and employees from across the University.

CWRU's first Student-Staff Interaction Day will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 10 in the Hovorka Atrium of the Pytte Science Center.

Kathryn Howard, chair of CWRU's Staff Advisory Council and a research assistant in infectious diseases at the School of Medicine, said faculty also are welcome at the event, which is devoted to personal exchanges between students at all levels and employees from across the University. The day will include games and refreshments.

SAC is co-sponsoring the event with the College Scholars program and the Office of the President and Provost. In addition to bringing students and staff together, the event will showcase a documentary Smid has created of her experiences with staff members at CWRU. The documentary also is part of her College Scholars project.