St. Mary's College passed along the numbers that evoke last Saturday's Gaelebration, the beginning of a yearlong celebration of the college's sesquicentennial:
- An estimate of between 5,000 and 7,000 people visited the campus on the Saturday, Oct. 6 Gaelebration.
- More than 2,800 used the College's free transportation shuttles from satellite parking facilities.
- More than 2,000 cars parked in campus parking lots.
- About a dozens folks came on bicycles.
- Gaelebration coincided with the College's parent and family weekend, and SMC's fall preview day for high school students to visit the campus.
- 300 families attended parent and family weekend
- 250 high school students visit the campus for fall preview day
- 200 volunteers from the SMC community.
- more than 125 faculty and staff participated in events, symposia and demonstrations.
- 15 separate performances by various bands — including students, faculty and alumni performances.
Columnist Tom Barnidge dissected some salient features that make a St. Mary's education in a piece in the Contra Costa Times this week.
