Keeping The Stood Alive: A Q&A With Your New Student Activities Director
Kevin Marshall discusses stepping into the role, managing a growing student body, and preserving The Stood as a space for student independence.
By Cecelia Cullen
As another school year begins at Purchase College, The Stood is once again at the center of student life on campus. From late-night events to student-led programming, the space has long served as a gathering place outside of the classroom.
This year, senior photography major Kevin Marshall is taking over as Student Activities Director, putting him at the center of the work that keeps the space running throughout the 2026–2027 academic year.
For Marshall, the start of the year also marks a new perspective on a familiar part of campus.
Q: What made you want to step into the Student Activities Director position this year?
A: The Student Activities Director last year, Mitchell Barkus, really encouraged me to go forth with it. He thought that it would be something I would excel in.
Q: Before taking on this position, you were the Major Events Coordinator. What did you learn from that role that you’re bringing with you?
A: To be very adaptable and to be able to think on the fly. As much as you’ll go into something with a plan, it might not go the way you need it to, and you always have to be able to come up with the next solution and the next idea for how you’re going to move forward.
Q: How does your new role as student activities director compare to being Major Events Coordinator?
A: It’s definitely different. You’re thinking about the student body in its entirety as Student Activities Director. As Major Events Coordinator, you’re more in control of the culture and climate of the students on campus through bringing them events and curating different things for them to go to.
Q: Do you prefer this role?
A: Absolutely. I feel like it is a lot harder to be in charge of really big events that students look forward to. It’s also very hard to try to please every student, no matter if you try the best you can, with some of these events. It’s a lot of pressure. If you’re not somebody who’s good with pressure, then it could be a lot.
Q: Now that you’re looking at the entire student body, what do you want students to get out of The Stood beyond just attending events?
A: I want them to really understand that it is a place where they can curate anything and use this as a space to start something. We’re at school, so this is the place where you can fall on your face and get back up with little to no scratches. Whatever crazy idea you have, whatever thing that you probably won’t have the resources to do when you leave here, use The Stood and utilize it to do that.
Q: And if students do have ideas, how do you plan to make sure they have a voice in what happens at The Stood?
A: I want to incorporate a lot more town halls. I intend to continue to be an open book when it comes to questions and speaking with different media outlets on campus and be very blunt and honest with the students on what it is that’s happening, how we’re navigating that and how they can get involved and help as well. But it definitely starts with going to the town hall and voicing their concerns and opinions.
Q: Having already experienced The Stood from a different position, has taking on this role changed the way you see what The Stood does well or what it needs to improve?
A: I do think there are a lot of things that it needs to improve on. There are pros and cons, like there is in everything, and I don’t think improvement is unattainable within this climate. A big thing with The Stood right now is control in terms of how we’re controlling a party and facilitating an event. In recent years, it’s been done a certain way, but with the abundance of students who have come in with this freshman class, there needs to be a different way to run The Stood during events. My staff is a really wonderful team, and they all understand how to work an event and what makes an event run. I think that’s something we’re working toward this semester.
Q: So, when it comes to what you’re changing from last year, would crowd control be one of the biggest differences?
A: Yes. I think that was something that blindsided us. Truth be told, before this year there were no real measures to control the crowds. Now, with the influx of students, it’s very prevalent that we manage the flow of students going in and out of The Stood and how that works, just so we don’t run into issues throughout the next few months. It’s something that is ongoing, and that we’ve been working on.
Q: What do you think will be your biggest challenge as Student Activities Director?
A: I think it’s really going to be finding a middle ground with administration. The best way to put it is us as students are renters of The Stood. We don’t own The Stood, so at any point The Stood could be taken away. Continuing to cultivate that environment to allow students to do things that they would like to do within the space and getting administration to understand the culture and climate of The Stood, is really my biggest concern and challenge that I’m facing right now.
Q: With those challenges in mind, is there anything new students should be looking forward to this fall?
A: I think Zombie Prom is going to be again this semester. Our Major Events Coordinator has a plan for that, and they’re really excited about it. I think that’s something students will be interested in. It’s going to be during the Halloween season, so it’ll be on theme and on par with the fall festivities. Other than that, I think everything else will stay pretty much the same.
Q: Looking beyond this semester, what’s your biggest goal for The Stood during the 2026–2027 school year?
A: Keep it alive, keep it pumping. Perfect what The Stood is all about, bring more awareness to it and get more people involved. I think a lot of people keep to themselves and don’t really want to get involved in things on campus all the time, especially with the student government and things like that. So, getting more people excited to do these things.
Q: You said, “what The Stood is all about.” What does that mean to you?
A: Student life, student activities, and student independence. This is the space for students. It’s run completely by students, for the students, and there’s nothing else like it at any other school.
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