Music, museums and marvels of all manners united students across Philadelphia this weekend during CollegeFest, organized by St. Joe’s alumna Ashley Barber ’17.
Campus Philly, a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, hosted another iteration of their annual CollegeFest event Sept. 9 and 10. Each year brings new events and appeals to the festival, and 2023 was no exception.
Available to any student currently enrolled in a Philadelphia-based college, the organization offered free SEPTA transport from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free admission to over 30 museums and free Sunday-only entry to the Philadelphia Zoo. CollegeFest also hosted a Campus Philly Block Party in Center City filled with local vendors and live performances, all accessible for free to those who registered.
Organized by Barber, CollegeFest provides not only a weekend of entertainment, but also a means of equipping students with greater opportunities to explore and connect with their community. Barber said she has built a special connection with Philadelphia that her work with Campus Philly helps to celebrate.
“We want students to fall in love with Philadelphia,” Barber said. “We want them to find their fit here, find something that excites them about the city and ultimately stay here after they graduate. So, CollegeFest is really a great way to get students on the ground in the city and experiencing all that Philadelphia has to offer.”
Barber said she considers her time at St. Joe’s to be a vehicle through which her love for the city spawned.
“I fell in love with the school first,” Barber said. “I really love the values and the mission of the university. And then from there, having that access to the train to go into Center City. And I had some internships during my time at St. Joe’s as well, and that really pushed me into falling in love with the city.”
Ashley Radell ’24, a senior food marketing major, is currently serving as a student engagement coordinator intern at Campus Philly. Responsible for marketing the event to her peers and organizing the Saturday block party, she said her role on the event team allowed her to create a deeper connection with Barber, St. Joe’s and Philadelphia as a whole.
“It’s really cool to see how someone progresses from St. Joe’s and the future they build at an organization, especially a nonprofit like Campus Philly, and realizing the avenues that are available as an SJU alum,” Radell said.
Radell said she appreciates the opportunity to give back to her community by contributing to the success of the event and the experiences of students who would go on to enjoy some of the same aspects of CollegeFest that she enjoyed in years prior.
“This year, it’s a completely different perspective,” Radell said. “As someone who attended two years ago and then now, it’s like seeing the behind the scenes of just how much work goes into a big event like this.”
Aimee Rovere ’27 attended CollegeFest for the first time, taking advantage of SEPTA’s bussing services and admission into the Franklin Institute with her friends.
“It gets you excited to be living in a city or to live near the city and be living in this area,” Rovere said, “especially when sometimes the only stories that can come out are the bad ones. It’s nice to have it be reinforced that you made the right decision to be here.”
