After years of restriction, Culver-Stockton students are casting their lines once again as fishing returns to campus life. Recent policy changes have lifted the long-standing ban on fishing at C-SC, sparking excitement among outdoor enthusiasts and bringing a sense of unity back to the avid fishing community on the campus. The unbanning of fishing not only revives a popular pastime but also promotes stress relief and fosters a deeper connection between students. Being a new standard for the college, these changes have made a splash within the campus community.
For years the fishing community within CS-C’s student body have requested to be permitted to fish on ponds on campus, however, according to the head of campus safety, W.G Lewis, for liability reasons it could not be permitted. Despite Lewis’ thoughts about fishing on the ponds, many minor infractions did occur, and he has had to remove violators many times in the past.
“We have caught so many people down there doing something they are not supposed to, and it’s such an innocent thing. I rather see them fishing there than doing something they shouldn’t be elsewhere”, explained Lewis.
Many students in the past reached out to the Vice President of Student Experience, Angela Royal, with hopes of changing the fishing policy. This paired with the campus safety office’s reluctance to enforce a rule that they saw as impractical, prompted Lewis and Royal to come up with a completely new set of guidelines. With these new guidelines the pair sought to promote a safe environment that allows for a positive pastime on campus provided students have a state-issued fishing license. While Royal and Lewis are very excited to see how well these new guidelines fare within the community, she also expressed very explicitly the importance of the guidelines, as they were all carefully put in place.
Royal went on to state, “They’re all in place so that people can have a safe, enjoyable experience and so that we can continue to offer this to our campus community.”
As fishing reclaims its place on campus, it offers more than just a peaceful escape from academic pressures. The revival of this pastime fosters community, encourages environmental stewardship, and provides students with a unique opportunity to connect with nature. By lifting the ban, Culver is not only enriching campus life but also promoting wellness and sustainability. As students gather by the water’s edge, rods in hand, it’s clear that fishing has reeled in a new generation of enthusiasts, making it a lasting tradition once more.
For more information about fishing on campus, W.G Lewis and Angela Royal encourage students to check their cat trackers on page 60.
