As students settled into their first week of classes, Bosco Plaza welcomed students for food, music and conversation Wednesday afternoon for K-State’s annual Lunch on the Plaza.
Hosted by the Union Program Council as part of Week of Welcome, the event offered students an opportunity to take a break from classes, grab a free lunch and connect with fellow students. The annual tradition featured Jimmy John’s sandwiches, chips, soda and Eileen’s Cookies, alongside a live performance by local band The Manhattan Project.
Laly Hernandez, president of UPC, said that while the promise of free food may initially draw students to the plaza, the larger goal is helping students form connections during their first week on campus.
“If you’re in a dorm and your dormmate is like, ‘Oh, there’s a lunch on the plaza, let’s go to that and have lunch,’ then that’s how you can meet other friends,” Hernandez said.
The Manhattan Project, a band of K-State students that formed through the Jam Cat Collective Club, provided the soundtrack for the event. The group has become a regular presence over the last several months, blending alt-rock and improvisational music for audiences across Manhattan.
Parker Floersch, vocalist and guitarist in The Manhattan Project and senior in physical science, described the group’s sound as ever-changing while remaining loyal to its improvisational roots.
“I would describe the band as something evolving,” Floersch said. “We continue to try out different styles of music and even rewrite different versions of songs we’ve performed for a while. With all of that being said, we always return to, ‘We’re a jam band at heart.’”
Hernandez said the band’s ties to Manhattan and unique sound made it a strong choice for an event focused on student interaction.
“Students and other people can also enjoy this music while eating and talking to their friends,” Hernandez said. “It’s almost like background noise, but it’s something to enjoy and watch them perform.”
For Floersch, performing at Week of Welcome was a great opportunity to strengthen the band’s connection to both K-State and the Manhattan community.
“It is a huge opportunity for us to become more integrated into K-State-affiliated activities and events,” Floersch said. “It is warming to be recognized by the community around us and sought out for things like this.”
Both Hernandez and Floersch emphasized the importance of finding your community and sense of belonging at K-State through campus organizations, K-State events and personal connections.
“I hope that new students realize that there are many different communities that exist in Manhattan and especially at K-State,” Floersch said. “As niche as some of those groups are, everyone at K-State supports each other under the lens of being a Wildcat. There’s family around every corner to make you feel at home doing whatever it is you love, so express that.”