Almost Home Contest winners named; freshmen earn kudos

Above,Melissa Ciepiela (left) and Lacey Daley, both of West Seneca, residents of Alumni Hall, were among the winners in the Almost Home Contest. Below, Matt Hamann (left) and John Troy show off their room in Grissom Hall. Both are music majors from Clarence.

Two pairs of freshmen were accorded top honors in the annual Almost Home Contest hosted by the Office of Residence Life at SUNY Fredonia.

The Alumni Hall room of Melissa Ciepiela, a Childhood Education major, and Lacey Daley, an English major, both of West Seneca, earned the top prize among female students. Matt Hamann, a major in Music Performance, and John Troy, a Music Education major, both of Clarence, won first place among males for their room in Grissom Hall.

The contest, open to students in all residence halls, selects the best-looking rooms on campus, based on the following criteria: best use of space, efficiency, cleanliness and overall appearance, said Kathy Ann Forster, associate director of Residence Life. Judges from each residence hall select two rooms as finalists. They were then evaluated by a team of Residence Life judges who picked the top two rooms. Students in both winning rooms each received a $50 cash award and certificate.

“We’re always amazed what kids can do with a room in a positive way to make it feel more like home,” added Gary Bice, director of Residence Life. “Students take pride in their buildings and their rooms, and are able to take away the institutional feel to it.”