College events have a profound influence on the social and intellectual fabric of a university. They serve as a platform to introduce fresh ideas, opportunities, and products to a new and receptive audience. However, to truly captivate interest, it is crucial to go beyond traditional talks and job fairs.
Today’s college students want new and authentic ways to connect. If you’re creating an event for college students, you need to focus more than ever on avoiding the commercialism and marketing that a lifetime of media has trained them to recognize. Incorporating social events that integrate games and technology can be a promising starting point.
If you’re looking to make your college event truly stand out and enhance student engagement, we invite you to explore these exciting event ideas, inspired by years of working with event creators and tailored specifically for college students.
College Event Categories
Educational event ideas for college students
Professional events for students
Cultural event ideas for college students
Indoor games for college students
Online events for college students
Get students excited for your next event
Educational event ideas for college students
Students spend all day listening in lecture halls and seminars, so educational events encouraging participation will be more impactful.
1. College-friendly cooking classes
Want to know how to get college students to attend events? Bring food! Cooking classes help keep students healthy and prepare them to become more self-sufficient.
But make sure your cooking classes have an enticing theme and plan easy, cheap, and college-student-friendly dishes. Think mac ‘n’ cheese, stir fry, homemade ramen, or pho. You might also include wraps, burritos, and gyros — quick, flavorful meals that require only a few ingredients.
Utah State University even had the great idea to teach cooking classes for students with type two diabetes, showing how you can have delicious meals that still meet your dietary requirements.
2. Community service events
Millennials often express their values online, but about 22% formally volunteer and more than 47% help out others informally. They’re happy to help, so invite them to be that change. Team up with an off-campus organization to promote and orchestrate a meaningful community event.
For instance, clean up a local beach or river, or raise awareness on a topic with a special event where all proceeds go to a cause. If you want to take your event online, consider creative activities like a student-led online workshop or a virtual open mic night.
College students are eager to learn and share their knowledge with others, so they can also make excellent tutors for high school and middle school students. Consider making a volunteer event that takes advantage of what the students have already learned about advancing in higher education to help others do the same.
3. Create an event pairing students with mentors
Take inspiration from Big Brother/Big Sister programs and pair seniors with first-year students. You can also be more specific with your matching, like pairing new first-gen college students with older first-gen students who understand their experience. Or create an LGBTQ+ mentorship program or event. These programs create a rewarding experience for students.
Salisbury University’s Multicultural Student Services helps out students with a wide range of backgrounds by pairing them with successful older students as mentors. This is a perfect mentorship opportunity for both, and it can create connections that last a lifetime.
4. Learn from alums
Attending a university often instills loyalty that can inspire successful alums to share what they know with the younger generation. A meet-and-greet allows students to make a one-on-one connection.
Set it on campus, where the alums might enjoy seeing old sites, or make it a workplace visit or tour for a hands-on experience. Focus on specific departments or specialties to keep your event focused. Ask your university’s alum relations department for contact information.
For example, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Alumni Association organizes student and alum networking dinners so that the two groups can connect with one another. It’s an excellent way for students to learn about their potential career paths and even get a head start with some applications!
Professional events for students
As graduation nears, students will be more focused on their professional futures. Many companies turn to college students as prospective employees, so they may even want to sponsor events focused on career matters.
5. Career fairs
A classic career fair brings employers onto campus to talk to students about their mission, hiring practices, and prospects. Consider doing a series of industry-focused career fairs for targeted interactions.
A great example of this is Los Angeles City College’s career fair. They take the event up a notch by offering food and a raffle to incentivize attendance even more. Plus, the college capitalizes on its location in a major city to attract big-name employers and give better opportunities to its students. Consider what advantages your college can offer students — whether it’s location, alum connections, or other factors — can make your career fair even better.
6. Speed interviews
As the name implies, speed interviews are similar to speed dating. Set up stations for employers seeking college student applicants. You can host this event in the student center, gym, or college quad. Students looking for their first job, a summer internship, or a part-time gig can bring their resumes and do a series of quick interviews. Serve appetizers and drinks for a more relaxed atmosphere.
That’s why Rowan College of South Jersey’s Internship & Career Planning division put together their speed interviewing session. Students got real experience with job interviews, all compressed within a reasonable timeframe, right there on campus.
7. Industry networking events
Any working professional will likely tell you that success depends more on who you know than what you know. Host an industry networking event that’s an open invitation to anyone who works — or wants to work — in a particular industry. Serve appetizers and drinks so guests stick around.
Industry networking events are especially good for specific departments or colleges with focused academic programs, such as the University of Central Florida’s Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering (CECE). Industry mixers like CECE’s let students get advice from professionals already in the industry they want to work in.
Larger events like Voxburner’s Youth Marketing Strategy conferences can include major industry players, so while college students might feel intimidated, they’re also great networking opportunities.
8. Meet your (professional) mentor
When you’re starting out, there’s nothing like a mentor to open doors and guide the way. Invite successful professionals to mentor students majoring in a relevant area. Set up a night of drinks and hors d’œuvres to be sure your mentors are comfortable with their mentees (and vice versa). Coordinate periodic check-in events to maintain contact.
By connecting with the Interior Design Society (IDS) and the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA), architecture and design students can learn practical insights about how to begin their careers in competitive industries. That’s what makes IDS and SARA’s student mentorship events so important.
9. Skills seminar
When interviewing for your first job, it’s not always all about your academic experiences or what extracurricular activities you excelled in. Invite HR directors from local employers to provide insight on ways students can meet other professional expectations, like dressing for the office, writing effective emails, and public speaking.
And while many college students are computer experts, they may lack business skills like how to automate tasks with AI or basic image design. So bring in an IT pro to show them tips and tricks to help new employees prove their worth when they enter the workforce.
In your workshop, make sure to emphasize the practical applications of the skills you’re teaching in their future working environments.
Cultural event ideas for college students
University life is ideal for exposing students to a variety of art and culture, with campuses often serving as a hub for musicians, writers, and other artists. As a result, students are often excited to see new works and learn about different traditions.
10. Poetry slams
A poetry slam puts spoken word performance front and center. It often includes a competition. Set your poetry slam in a coffeehouse and enjoy cappuccinos and cookies, or gather in a park or campus amphitheater for fun in the sun.
You can even follow the University of Washington Bookstore’s example and bring in guest poets. That can bring a fresh flavor to the on-campus poetry scene and give the local creatives even more inspiration for their own work.
11. Book debates
What do you get if you combine English majors with the debate club? You get a book debate — a fresh spin on the ever-popular book club concept.
Set up podiums for your teams of debaters, preferably where an audience can view them, and present a question for debate. Focus the question on significant works and authors, or discuss children’s books or cookbooks for a more lighthearted event.
By doing this, you can attract students who want to learn from one another’s perspectives and help them find richer meanings in what they’ve read.
12. Theater prop workshops
Not everyone wants to be in the spotlight, so a prop workshop is a great way to involve more introverted types in the theater. Invite a prop master from your school’s theater department to show students how to craft theatrical props for an upcoming production. A supplies fee can help pay for necessary tools and other resources.
Theater prop workshops offer a unique opportunity for students to engage with the creative process behind theatrical productions. This event can attract students with a wide range of interests, from those studying the arts to engineering students seeking a hands-on project. In this way you can also increase engagement and interest in college theater productions, as students who participate in a prop workshop will likely be keen to see their creations used on the stage.
13. Gallery crawls
For a refined take on the rowdy bar crawl, get your group to try a stimulating gallery crawl to check out the latest art, sculpture, and photography exhibits. This event suits urban campuses, where many museums and galleries might dot the landscape.
Remember: Gallery crawls don’t have to be just for art students. For example, the Fairfield University Art Museum’s gallery tours often emphasize politics and human rights, which could appeal to humanities and social sciences students.
14. City and museum tours
Like the gallery crawl model, city or museum tours can include visits to natural history museums, botanical gardens, and architectural sites. A docent or other expert could lead these for a more educational experience.
Or invite graduate students from your university’s art, history, or architectural department to lead the tour for a stronger connection with your student participants.
Often, museums are more willing to share rare or sensitive items with tours of college students. That can mean the students get to see parts of the museum’s collection that few guests do, and even get some insights that could help with their projects.
15. A night at the symphony
Encourage attendees to dress up and enjoy an evening with the local orchestra or show their school spirit by attending a performance of the school’s music department ensembles. Let them experience the joy of classical music and admire the musicianship behind exquisite compositions.
Symphony orchestras will appreciate youthful attendees who may become loyal subscribers. They often offer special amenities or prices for groups or younger audiences.
However, symphony tickets can be out of the price range for many students. That’s why it makes sense to follow the University of Idaho Office of Alumni Relations’ example and sponsor the event to make it free for everyone. They also used their event as a networking opportunity for current students to meet university alums.
Fun campus event ideas
While college audiences can be eager to attend educational and cultural events, they sometimes want to get their minds off education. But that doesn’t mean your event can’t be inspiring or rewarding in other ways, right?
16. Craft workshops
Host a workshop where students can create dorm room decor — think plant hangers, terrariums, or recycled frames for their art. Or, for older students, try a paint-and-sip party where guests bring their favorite libations for an evening of watercolors, easels, and drinks. Get inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, or Etsy for the latest crafting trends.
Craft workshops with programs like the ones offered by Shop Made in DC and Napa Valley College’s Community Education bring students and the community together in one room, learning skills like quiltmaking and painting. With more community members in their classes, students can benefit from an even more diverse set of classmates than they’re used to.
17. 24– or 48–hour film festival
With the user-friendly digital tools at our disposal today, anyone can make a short movie. Ask students to create something extraordinary and plan a fun event that focuses on film.
Come up with a list of themes and some basic ground rules on length and subject matter. Give teams 24 or 48 hours to complete a movie based on a theme or genre. Pick a day to showcase entries in a theater setting, complete with snacks and awards, and sell tickets via Eventbrite’s film event ticketing software.
You could even offer students an instructional seminar on how to make a movie in a limited time span. That’s what alums did at the College of William & Mary’s Ampersand Film Festival. They put students in touch with alums while learning about a fun and exciting event.
18. Solo night hike
For one of the most exciting college events students will ever experience, take groups out on an established trail (with reliable guides) late at night. Send a guide ahead and let students follow one at a time to navigate a short, flat distance alone. This great bonding activity can be even more fun by ending the hike with a bonfire and s’mores.
College students are always eager to learn more about the world, and a solo night hike can be a great opportunity to put their education into practice.
Whether it’s instruction about the nighttime animal sounds they might hear or an astronomy lesson on what they see above, plenty of learning opportunities make night hikes perfect for students.
19. Comedy nights
Laughter is a great stress reliever, so comedy’s an ever-popular event choice for students loaded down with exams, jobs, and extracurricular activities. Comedians regularly include colleges on their tour stops, so it could be worth reaching out to a famous name to check availability. Alternatively, host an open mic night and encourage students to try out their best routines. Make sure your comedy show sells out by promoting it on social media.
You can even bring a series of noted comedians onto campus for one memorable night of laughter like Endicott College did. They hosted a comedy night with three prominent comedians, and you can follow suit for a single, high-impact event. Alternatively, you can host it at a more established venue like the Laugh Factory.
Make sure you promote your event well in advance so that you sell lots of tickets. Did you know that event creators who used Eventbrite’s marketing suite saw 2.5x more views on their event listings*?
Increase your chances of selling out!
20. Campus campout
There’s nothing like spending a night under the stars. Still, we can’t always make it to the nearest wilderness for our backpacking excursions. Instead, invite students to bring their tents, sleeping bags, and s’mores kits to campus for a campout with friends.
A campfire is probably ill-advised, so try a portable electric cooker instead. This provides a unique opportunity for students to bond and explore outdoor skills in a controlled environment.
College social event ideas
Sure, academics should take precedence, but everyone loves to hang out and socialize with their peers. It truly adds value to the college experience, which potential students are considering more than ever. So, college events that emphasize social life are increasingly important. Choose a fun theme or activity and watch your registrations fill up.
21. Ice cream socials
Give students a treat after a long day of studying. Head out as a group to a local parlor for sundaes, banana splits, or a simple scoop of rocky road. Or, get a couple of ice cream makers and make your own customized concoction.
Ice cream is the perfect way to tell college students you value them, no matter where they are. That’s why the Ohio State Alumni Club of San Diego sent off their local students with an ice cream social as they went back to school halfway across the country.
22. Charity casino night
Harness students’ enthusiasm to benefit a good cause. Host a fundraiser with a casino theme — including card games, roulette wheels, and slot machines — but make sure to comply with local gambling regulations. Make it a black-tie event for a sophisticated Monte Carlo feel.
Charity casino nights are great because they incorporate two things college students are known for: eagerness to do good and enthusiasm for an evening of fun. By putting the two together, you can be sure that your attendees will be ready to help raise money for a good cause.
23. Alternative sports events
While softball games and volleyball matches are always popular, mix things up with alternative sports competitions such as ultimate frisbee or paintball.
Or put the pedal to the metal with a go-kart race at a nearby indoor or outdoor track. Alternative sports like these can attract less-athletic types who might be up for trying something new and sports lovers who thrive on competition.
You can even organize the event into an inter-university competition like Hinesbros did with their college paintball tournament. That adds the spice of rivalry to an already-exciting event.
College campus event ideas
University campuses are often expansive spaces filled with various environments: dormitories and dining halls, quads and stadiums, recreation facilities, and lecture halls.
This makes them ideal for hosting various events, especially outdoor ones that can accommodate kiosks, booths, and large gatherings. Below are a few engaging campus event ideas for clubs and students.
24. Campus farmer’s market
Reach out to local farms and vendors to organize a campus farmers market. Not only does this allow students to support local businesses, but it also helps them stock up for the week. And the array of fresh produce encourages healthy eating habits and community engagement.
A farmer’s market can also attract non-students from the area, introducing them to your school and campus amenities.
For urban colleges with older student populations, attending a busy farmer’s market with a child can be difficult. That’s why some events like the Portland State University Farmer’s Market include a children’s storytime at the university’s museum of art, so the kids have some great entertainment as their parents enjoy the market.
25. Clothing swaps
College students often set fashion trends for the rest of us — and with fads changing frequently, a clothing swap makes for a fun and interactive event.
Participants bring clothes to trade with each other as they try out new looks. You could even coordinate your event with your school’s LGBTQ+ community to create an inclusive, gender-neutral event.
Want to bring in the community to support disadvantaged college students? You could take a page from the book of GrowNYC and hold rotating clothing swaps around your community, including some at colleges. That will attract a wider audience and help establish connections between the colleges and the rest of the town.
26. Pet therapy sessions
The emotional and therapeutic benefits of bonding with animals are well-known. Even something as simple as petting your dog or cat is associated with lowered blood pressure and increased relaxation.
Since pets are often forbidden in dorms or apartments, invite a local pet adoption organization to bring dogs, cats, and other critters to campus. Speak to your university’s facilities department about using a field or similar outdoor area. Be sure to provide plastic bags and waste bins to clean up after those messy pups!
27. Campus fun run
A fun run is similar to a 5K or marathon, but emphasizes enjoyment instead of a serious race or competition. Lay out a route across campus or around the perimeter, and make sure you’ve got water and treats like ice cream or fruit cups for finishers. Have participants dress in themed costumes for extra fun, or make it a fundraiser with pledges for laps completed.
Want to promote a niche program while having fun? You can follow the example of the Allan Hancock College Viticulture and Enology Program and hold a 5k fun run. That way, you raise some money for your program while everyone has a great time.
28. Scavenger hunts
Scavenger hunts involve creating a list of goals for a group to accomplish or items to collect. The first group to complete the list wins. The goals can be anything: taking a photo at a campus landmark, for example, or finding a specific “treasure” in a particular location. Think The Amazing Race, but without the multi-million-dollar broadcast network budget.
Many college students are looking for love, so you could even throw in a romantic component like DNB North Events did for their scavenger hunt at Lincoln University.
29. Blood drive
Doing something beneficial to society can make you feel inspired and energized. And with blood and platelets in critically short supply, blood drives can be a true lifesaver. Coordinate with the Red Cross, a local hospital, or your university hospital to provide the necessary phlebotomists and equipment. See if the campus bakery can offer cookies and juice for donors.
Plenty of college students are happy to help others, and it’s even more appealing if you get a deal. For example, the University of Advancing Technology offered a free Whataburger coupon with every donation!
Want to get as many participants as possible to donate?
Use the Eventbrite marketing platform to be sure everyone on campus knows about your blood drive. Event creators who used it saw 2.5x views on their event listings.*
Event creators see 2.5x more views on their events with Eventbrite!
30. Drum circle
A drum circle is simply a group of people coming together to drum. It can be free-form, where everyone drums to their own beat, or the circle might be led by a conductor who offers direction and encourages everyone to participate.
Devotees attest to the therapeutic effects of drum circles, which are said to instill feelings of warmth and community. Ask participants to bring their own drums — hand drums such as bongos or even handmade and recycled drums — or see if your school’s music department has some spares.
Indoor games for college students
While outdoor games and events are great for getting students out of their rooms and off their screens, we know the weather doesn’t always cooperate. Games designed for indoor events are the perfect solution.
Indoor games don’t have to be athletic. They usually focus on imagination and mental abilities, which should be just the thing for a campus full of budding scholars.
31. Wargaming
Initially developed by actual military strategists, wargaming contests involve moving game pieces around large game boards that consist of maps of real or mythical landscapes.
A wargaming contest will likely resonate with the history majors in your midst; you might recreate battles from the Civil War, World War I, or World War II. Or, create your own maneuvers and offensives in battles between fantastical creatures such as orcs and dwarves.
Just be sure to clear your calendar — wargaming classics like Squad Leader and Warhammer can take place over days or weeks. Fun fact: Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is generally credited with inventing miniature wargaming.
Wargaming can also be professional preparation, and the Georgetown University Wargaming Society makes that clear with events themed around how actual military leaders benefit from learning wargaming in school. That kind of event can be especially impactful for students looking at military careers.
32. Murder mystery
Calling Sherlock Holmes! In a murder mystery game, one party guest is the designated “murderer,” and anyone could be the next victim. Can you figure out who the murderer is before it’s too late? These games are great because they’re entirely adaptable to the size of your party.
Some commuter and community colleges can struggle to form a cohesive on-campus culture, which is why Mayland Community College’s idea to bring everyone together for their own murder mystery night was a stroke of genius.
33. Role-playing
Role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons have entertained fantasy fans since the 1970s. Thanks to Netflix’s massively popular Stranger Things, interest has exploded. These games involve a lot of creativity on the part of the participants and can be adapted perfectly to your event.
Create imaginary monsters and adventurers, or pit Greek heroes like Perseus and Odysseus against creatures like Cyclops or Medusa. Swords and sorcery not your thing? You’ll find role-playing games set in the world of international spies, a post-nuclear holocaust, and a city full of superheroes, too!
College students are often eager to try new clubs and activities, and after role-playing’s recent explosive growth, it’s a great way to bring them together.
34. Poker tournament
Put on your best poker face and deal ’em up! Lay down some green felt across your tabletops and use chips instead of coins for a more authentic experience.
A poker tournament doesn’t have to involve gambling — instead, let the winnings benefit a particular charity or cause. Then it’s just a matter of deciding between seven-card stud or Texas hold ’em.
Alternatively, impress the history department with out-of-fashion historical games like three-card brag — or organize a round of the classic French brelan with your school’s French department.
Want to incentivize more students to come? Diablo Valley College’s Kyle Alvarado knows just how: include unlimited food with their buy-in cost!
35. Ancient games tournament
Table games like chess, pachisi (the Indian precedent to the American variation called “Parcheesi”), and backgammon have been around for hundreds — even thousands — of years. Put down the electronics and get back to basics with an ancient games tournament. Include only games that date before the 18th century.
To spice things up for the students, consider collaborating with a national organization that can fund an exciting tournament with a large prize pool. That’s what Make A Move LA did with their collaboration with Howard University: $3,000 in prizes will get any college student out of bed!
College festival event ideas
A festival combines a main activity or theme with events that might occur over a weekend or the course of a few days. You can host a cultural celebration supporting music, art, food, and other entertainment. It’s also possible to hold them over a wide, though not necessarily connected, area.
For example, a film festival might encompass several different movie theaters or screening rooms. If you’re serving food, ensure your event complies with local regulations about storage and handling.
36. Fall festival
A fall festival celebrates all things autumn while fall colors are at their peak. Include pumpkin carving contests, hay rides, corn mazes, and costume contests. Then serve treats like apple pie, cider, and, of course, pumpkin spice anything.
If, like Harford Community College, you want to invite everyone in the community, you can open your college doors and take the college fall festival as an opportunity to help students connect with the local community.
37. Bollywood festival
Step aside, Hollywood — more movies by far are produced in India than in the backlots and sound stages of southern California. Celebrate India’s films, with their exuberant colors, fantastic tales, and imaginative staging, with a Bollywood film festival that also embraces the richness of Indian culture.
Coordinate with your school’s film department to include the best of Bollywood cinema. If your school has a Hindi or Urdu language department, see if they have additional resources to incorporate. And don’t forget to match the theme with authentic cuisine.
38. Harvest festival
Similar to a fall festival, harvest festivals emphasize food and farm products. They’ve been celebrated in agricultural regions for perhaps thousands of years. Contact your local farmers market about providing locally grown fruits, vegetables, cheeses, honey, and meats. Include a petting zoo with goats, sheep, and other barnyard animals.
Colleges in more rural areas might appreciate a harvest festival that can take advantage of local agriculture. The Shasta College harvest festival even included roasted pork and chicken sourced from the college’s own farm!
39. Chinese New Year festival
The Chinese New Year begins on the first moon between January 21 and February 20, and it’s one of the premier holidays in Chinese culture. A Chinese New Year festival is a perfect way to celebrate the traditions of China.
The color red dominates decorations, which often include traditional crafts like intricate paper cutouts and couplets written in Chinese characters wishing good fortune in the coming year.
The pop of firecrackers and gifts of cash stuffed in red envelopes are other hallmarks of the festivities, which traditionally last for two weeks. Chinese New Year typically culminates in a lantern festival, with candles and lanterns lighting up homes and gardens — or in this case, campus spaces.
Student groups like Hunter College’s Chinese Student and Scholar Association can organize the event to celebrate with traditional singing, dancing, and instrumental performances.
40. Music and arts festival
Channel Coachella and create your own music and arts festival on campus. Performing artists love to gain college fans, and college rock (think R.E.M. and the Pixies) got its name for a reason. Invite popular indie rock bands and hip-hop artists, and coordinate with the university art department to showcase student works.
A festival isn’t complete without eats, so contact local restaurants and food trucks about offering easy finger foods. Just be sure students stick around afterward to help clean up!
A great example to follow is San Antonio College’s Fredstock Music Festival. By bringing together local breweries, vendors, and musical talent, college students can truly connect with their community.
41. Renaissance fair
A Renaissance fair harkens back to the days of knights, nobles, lords, and ladies, recreating a time gone by. It might include lute players, herald trumpeters, jousters, jugglers, magicians, jesters, and dancers. Be sure to encourage attendees to come in costume.
Contact your school’s archery club about including a Robin Hood-inspired display of bow-and-arrow skills. Local food vendors might provide messy medieval foods like roasted turkey legs and Viking-worthy mead. Include displays of falconry or blacksmithing to set the mood.
College students have all kinds of interesting skills and knowledge, so a Renaissance fair is a great way for them to show them off! Whether they know how to weave, are learning about medieval life from the school’s history program, or just want to learn more from the fair’s performers and presenters, plenty of students can participate.
College competition ideas
There’s nothing like a competition to attract attention. Some students love to compete, testing themselves constantly against their peers. And people love to watch competitors go head-to-head, whether they’re “survivors” on a TV-friendly island or athletes on a playing field.
Of course, your competition can be as friendly and straightforward as you like — the simpler it is, the more likely people will feel up to the challenge and decide to participate.
42. Video game tournaments
Time to find out who’s the Console Champion with a video game tournament. With more college kids playing video games on PCs or consoles like PlayStation or Xbox than ever before, a video game tournament can be a gamer’s fantasy.
You’ll need to decide whether to include all consoles in your match or limit it to one brand. Likewise, consider the genre(s) to be featured. Will it be sports games, strategy games, first-person shooter games, simulations, or a combination? The size of your event may determine your answers.
The University of California Esports Initiative holds large tournaments with great prize pools, and they can serve as great inspiration for your own video game tournaments. Whether or not you can get corporate sponsorships and give away fun tech prizes, you can be sure the students will have a great time.
43. Trivia night
What’s the longest-running show in Broadway history? Which two countries share the longest border? Trivia night’s a classic test of silly (and sometimes useful!) knowledge and an ever-popular way for students to spend the evening.
Create categories such as geography, science, or pop culture, declare a winner for each, and don’t forget to crown an overall trivia champion. Provide gift cards to the campus bookstore for the winners.
You can even use your trivia night to help incoming students make friends before classes start like the Columbia University Pre-College Program did with their Speed Friending Trivia Night.
44. Battle of the bands
For the musically inclined and music fans, a battle of the bands is often a hit. Let student musicians show off their best guitar licks and drum solos in an auditorium, amphitheater classroom, or outdoor space where guests can sit and watch.
You’ll want to contact your school’s facilities department about availability. Give your event a musical theme, such as hard-rock hair bands or harmonizing boy bands, or open it up to all genres of music.
Want to get the school’s Greek life involved? You could take after Webber Marketing’s battle of the bands event and create an activity targeted to fraternities and sororities, guaranteeing a high volume of eager participants.
45. Rap battle
The great thing about a rap battle is how little equipment is needed — bring a beatbox and a microphone, and you’re practically set! Rap throw-downs can be held virtually anywhere, from a formal theater stage to an informal dormitory dining hall.
A rap battle might be a little intimidating for some college students: it’s a hard skill to master, and they might not want to confront their classmates directly. But by offering a prize pool and inviting some exciting outside talent, you can help convince more students to come and try their hand at it.
46. Hot-plate cook-off
Everyone’s heard of a chili cook-off or a British bake-off, right? We all know college students may not have the kitchen or the time for such culinary achievements, but you’d be amazed at what you can whip up on a hot plate.
Put students’ cooking skills to the test with a hot-plate cook-off — campus regulations permitting. Set it up in the student center or dormitory dining hall and let those student chefs get creative. Mac-and-brie-en-croute, anyone?
47. Obstacle race
Spartan races are famous for their obstacles combining mud crawling, wall climbing, rope swinging, spear throwing, and more. Create an on-campus obstacle course and invite students to test themselves physically like never before. Be sure to include medals for first, second, and third place finishers, and have plenty of water and nutritious refreshments for contestants.
College students don’t just want to spend their whole lives in the library, so an obstacle race is a great way to challenge themselves, get some physical activity, and enjoy the big outdoors.
Online events for college students
More and more universities are offering online classes to attract students from distant geographic regions. And at some universities, students can obtain degrees entirely through an online course load.
Offering virtual events can give those who can’t make it to campus the chance to participate in campus life and help them feel even more satisfied than they were on campus. As more students become online-only enrollees, online events are taking on new importance.
48. TEDx talks
Did you know the iconic idea-sharing forum TEDx started as a campus event at USC in 2009? Now the platform encourages campuses to begin their own version of the digitally evolved lecture series. Capturing such talks on video makes for powerful, potentially viral social media.
For details on how to start a campus TEDx, visit the website. You can create online events for off-campus students by streaming TEDx to everyone at home or abroad.
Colleges and universities are brimming with students who possess diverse backgrounds and fascinating areas of expertise. This is precisely why TEDx events continue to be an ideal platform for showcasing the stories and talents of these individuals.
49. Online language clubs
Language clubs are a perfect fit for an online event. Include an online component as part of an in-person club meeting, or make it solely online and open it up to more participants.
This allows you to create clubs for less commonly spoken languages, like Czech or Basque. You might even connect with students worldwide who speak your club’s language natively.
Another good organization to put an event like this together is the campus office for international students. That’s why the Office of Global Services at Northeastern University hosts their language connect events.
50. Virtual theater performances
As theater lovers know, the real magic of drama and comedy is in characterization and dialogue. Both can easily be enjoyed onscreen thanks to the magic of the internet.
Many theater companies are now incorporating virtual performances into their regular programming. Performances might include a virtual component as part of an in-person show or be adapted specifically for a digital format.
51. Professional meet-and-greet
When starting out in a career, you want to get to know as many people as possible who share your interests, passions, and responsibilities. An online meet-and-greet can be a great solution if you’re looking for virtual business event ideas for college students.
While inherently less personal than an in-person event, an online event has other advantages, including expanding your networking base to more geographic regions. Online events can also be more comfortable for introverts, who may prefer making connections while maintaining a certain distance.
To help the students of their remote Cybersecurity Workforce Certificate program, the University of Louisville hosted a virtual meetup that let the students get to know each other outside of class.
52. Virtual campus walking tour
Long-distance students attending virtual classes will have little experience with your school’s campus. A walking tour of your campus landmarks, lecture halls, and popular student hangouts can help give them a sense of the college experience. Grab a camera, mic, a recorder, and your favorite walking shoes!
To help students outside Denver get to know the campus better, the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design gives their own virtual campus tours. Current and future students get a chance to ask live questions, learn where they could be living, and even meet their department chairs!
Get students excited about your next event
Now that you have more than 50 ideas for your next college event, you might think you’re ready to get started. But don’t move too fast: Do you have a way to market that event to as many students as possible?
Don’t worry! The Eventbrite marketing suite makes it easy for you to motivate students and let them know about all the great programs you’re preparing for them. You can reach out via social media ads, engage students with email marketing, and even track who’s coming all from one platform.
*Eventbrite data 5/1/2022 – 12/1/2022 comparing events promoted with Eventbrite Boost with any event that was not promoted with the same tool.
