Every spring, the Cal Alumni Student Association (CASA) hosts the Overnight Stay Program (OSP) for prospective UC Berkeley students. OSP is a student-run, on-campus weekend event featuring student and alumni panels, campus tours, an overnight dorm stay, and a hike up to the Big C. With its unique student-to-student perspective, OSP offers admitted students a taste of Berkeley, allowing them to decide if Cal is the right fit for them.
This April, when campus closed in response to COVID-19, CASA student leaders rejected the suggestion of cancelling OSP. “This is actually how we’re coping [with the coronavirus]—to plan the event, and we can’t cancel it,” they said. In a matter of weeks, the leadership team at CASA rapidly adapted their in-person event to be hosted fully on Zoom and recruited many current student panelists to chat and meet with admits in 11 different panels.
Even with the last minute changes, more than 200 prospective students from more than 5 countries virtually attended OSP. Many said they enjoyed the event and indicated that they would commit to Cal, officially becoming proud Cal Bears and members of the Class of 2024!