Stonehill’s Shadow day program returns

BY ELIZABETH EDNIE

Admitted students have a wide variety of options for visiting Stonehill College, and participating in a shadow day program is one of them. Perspective students who want a more personal visit experience can be paired up with a current student in the Lux et Spes society to follow them throughout their day, in order to help the decision making process easier.

“The shadow experience is distinct because it provides a more immersive representation of how it feels to be a Stonehill student through an individualized experience, and an exposure to the fundamental differences between high school coursework and college level instruction,” Joe Dacey, Vice President for Enrollment Management said.

Due to the pandemic, the shadow day program was put on hold until this year. The first registration date opened Monday, March 21, where current members of Lex et Spes can register to host a prospective student who will follow them throughout their day at Stonehill.

According to Dacey, the shadow experience has been around for several years and gives perspective students who are unsure of committing to the College a better impression of the day to day life compared to the tours, information sessions, large-scale open houses or welcome days that are offered.

“Shadow days are a wonderful way for prospective students to get a real-time feel for what their days at Stonehill will look like. It is a collaborative effort with students and faculty,” Dacey said.

Dacey said that about 80 percent of perspective students who have participated in the shadow experience ended up committing to Stonehill, due to the program.

“This is significant, given the tremendous number of potential college options students are considering,” he said. “We have always endeavored to offer prospective students a variety of visit experiences, however, each of these opportunities only provides a glimpse into daily life as a Skyhawk compared to the shadow experience.”

Senior Paige Fitzpatrick, member of Lux et Spes, said that when perspective students sign up to shadow a current student, they are typically assigned to an underclassmen member, and sit in on a level 100 class that peaks their interest.

“In my experience, I have taken students to 100 level business courses like managerial accounting. The professors have loved getting to know prospective students before they commit to Stonehill, and for a lot of perspective students, getting to know what the courses, professors, and community will be like is a huge deciding factor,” Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick said that spending one on one time with a Stonehill student allows the perspective student to ask questions they might not otherwise ask during a tour or a more formal visit.

“I think shadowing a Stonehill student can be beneficial to perspective students. It’s more personal, and they feel comfortable asking questions about daily life here,” she said.

Dacey said that with the collaboration of students and faculty, the shadow experience is a wonderful way for perspective students to get a feel for their potential futures.

“I am grateful that we are able to offer this unique type of experience to prospective students once again and to all who make it happen,” he said.

The program went live March 21 on the Class of 2026 events page. To learn about the program, use this link.