Frostburg Finale Cancelled Due to Lack of Interest

The Frostburg Finale, a Frostburg State University Homecoming event for students and alumni, was cancelled on Oct. 17, 2016, just 5 days prior to its scheduled date. The event, which was promoted for having a DJ, karaoke, dueling piano bar, photo booth, food, and a cash bar, offered $10 student tickets and $15 alumni tickets.

Director of Alumni and Donor Relations Shannon Gribble told The Bottom Line, “We didn’t make this decision lightly and it wasn’t one we wanted to make.” The Alumni Relations Office had joined forces with Student Activities in order to co-host an additional event for students on Saturday night and to share the financial costs. However, as of Monday, Oct. 17, only 11 presale tickets had been purchased – ten of which were students. Given the low number and interest, it was deemed necessary to make the decision to cancel so not to use financial resources irresponsibly.

The event had been promoted to both students and alumni through the Profile magazine, which is distributed to over 40,000 people in August through social media, email blasts, and an eNewsletter. This information encouraged those interested to register early.

Mixed emotions were expressed across the alumni and student communities regarding the cancellation. However, Gribble mentioned, “this does not mean that the event is cancelled for future years; it simply means we need to rethink the concept.”