Staff Q & A: Deleney Magoffin ‘05, G’11

Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission, Springfield College
Former East Campus facilitator, East Campus graduate fellow

Describe your connection with East Campus.
As an outdoor recreation management major, we spent a lot of time at East Campus. I was a facilitator as an undergraduate student, took many classes in the pueblo, attended Outdoor Pursuits, and had the pleasure of meeting my longtime mentor, Mike Boulden, who at that time was the Director of East Campus. 

My family hosted the baby shower for my first daughter, Kensley, at East Campus. My first walk outdoors after having both my girls was at East Campus. Kensley's first birthday party was at East Campus. The first Giving Day in 2016 was Kensley's introduction to philanthropy and she gave to East Campus. 

Why do you support Friends of East Campus on Giving Day?
We choose to give to East Campus because we want future students and campers to benefit the same as we have, individually and as a family. Having facilitated groups over the years seeing the positive impact challenge course participation can have on someone's self-efficacy, there was nothing quite like watching Kensley during a Family Night climb up one of the high elements and not give up until she reached the top. This beautiful place has given me so much over the years and now my daughter has created her own memories there; what a beautiful gift. I give so that moment can be possible for many more children, including my other daughter, Jules, when she is old enough.

What is Kensley's favorite part about Camp Massasoit?
Kensley's confidence skyrocketed at camp. This was Kensley's first time doing a summer camp program and we saw her challenge herself physically, open up, and meet new people so seamlessly. She was so willing to try new things and "go with the flow" as staff, counselors, and fellow campers offered a blanket of support from the moment she walked up the stairs to camp each day until the moment we picked her up dirty, sweaty, and happy with rocks in her pocket and her wrists adorned with friendship bracelets from kids of all ages. Kensley shared that her favorite things about camp were the friends she met (which included kids and adults) and how nice everyone was to her. Close second was the number of gimp keychains her camp "brothers and sisters" made for her that proudly hung off her backpack.