First-Ever ‘First Bash’ is First-Rate for First-Years

What do first-year students really enjoy?

Elkins Park campus student council president Laci Lien ‘28O&P and her fellow council members set out to find the answer. Their solution: bring students from different programs together for an afternoon of good food, fun games, new connections, and the chance to go home with a 50-inch color television.

That idea became the first-ever “First Bash,” an event designed exclusively for first-year students to meet and mingle, chow and converse. Held Sept. 3, 2026, at the Hafter Student Community Center, the event allowed new students to connect with classmates across programs in a relaxed, welcoming setting. First Bash replaced “First-Year Meetups,” which traditionally took place off campus during the first week of classes at the start of the new school year.

“We thought it would be really important to have this event as early as we could so students could have the opportunity to make as many new friends as they could outside of their programs,” said Lien. “A lot of us just stay within our programs. For me, the only way I got to meet students from other programs was through student council. We decided to have this event so all cohorts on the Elkins Park campus could mix and meet as many students from the other programs who share the same thoughts or enjoy similar activities.” 

And if you ask the first-year students, the event was not only a great idea, but it accomplished exactly what it set out to do.

Mudit Guglani ‘29OD, originally from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, initially attended Purdue University to study aerospace engineering, but didn’t like the profession as much as he thought he would. His local optometrist suggested he look into optometry as a career, and that proved fortuitous. Guglani liked what he saw during a shadowing opportunity, and that ultimate career decision led him to the Accelerated Scholars Doctor of Optometry three-year program at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Drexel University.

The First Bash, he said, was indeed a great opportunity to meet students from other programs.

“Especially in the Scholars program, we’re all clumped together,” he said. “This is a way to meet people who aren’t in my vicinity and a way to see what else the campus has to offer besides just school.” 

Mary Catherine Jurica ‘29OD came to PCO from Houston, where she earned a degree in biology from the University of Texas. She also shadowed an optometrist looking for a career path, and found that optometrists were not only passionate about the profession, but were excited and welcoming.

“I appreciate trying to build community with the different programs with an event like this,” said Jurica, also in the Accelerated Scholars Doctor of Optometry program at PCO/Drexel. “I really like that the school here has different professions and we’re all in a similar phase of life, just in different areas of expertise. Having an event like this so everybody can mingle is a really nice idea, so you don’t get bogged down by your own program and can step outside what you’re doing.” 

Tamia Bennett ‘28OT, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was inspired to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy at Drexel after witnessing her sister undergo multiple surgeries and experience a decline in her quality of life. Seeing her sister regain her independence and improve through occupational therapy showed Bennett the meaningful impact the profession can have. That and the Philadelphia-area location, where she has family, encouraged her to pursue a master’s degree in OT at Drexel.

“I don’t think I’ve seen many of the other students since orientation, so it’s always nice to speak amongst the professions and hear about their experiences,” said Bennett, who earned her undergraduate degree in exercise science at Winston-Salem State University, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “I’m still making adjustments and learning what study styles are best for me, but overall, the first few weeks have been fun.” 

Events like this have made the transition to graduate school more enjoyable and have helped students build a sense of community early.