Student Programs is home to more than 60 permanent programs and many clubs. The Campus Activity Board is a long standing program that in the past has primarily existed to assist other programs and clubs in advertising their events. This is achieved through creating and certifying posters for display on bulletin boards around campus and spreading word through social media. Now, two positions within CAB have been altered in an effort to revamp their role on campus in spreading word of events and opportunities available through student programs.
Jessi Bagdasarov and David Joseph are now CAB’s student event coordinator and publicity coordinator respectively. While previously these positions also did graphic design, they have now been specialized so as to focus more attention on “creating an atmosphere on campus for students to better connect with one another,” said Joseph.
Changes to CAB originated from Jenny Morgan, their faculty advisor. According to Joseph, “her vision was to make cab more of a one stop shop for everything events,” and also “to encourage students to start programs and clubs.” Bagdasarov said “that’s something we’re going to do this year, show up more and try to be more of a face instead of a behind the scenes type of group, and present ourselves to first year students who might not even know what student programs is.”
Located in C-212, to get involved Bagdasarov said “the first step is to come upstairs, someone will most likely ask you right away, ‘what are you looking for, what are you doing here?’” Answers to that question might include searching for fun, friends, or opportunities for learning, work and volunteering.
Recently CAB attended a panel discussion on the Charleston shooting. “It was really good and I think people were happy to see that CAB was there, you know, taking some photos, kind of spreading the word, trying to encourage students to participate in the event,” said Joseph.
Anyone may start their own club or program. When chartered, such organizations can now count on CAB for help and publicity beyond bulletin boards. “That’s what we’re hoping to change,” said Bagdasarov, “that people can start coming to CAB for collaboration on events, rather than just making and putting up posters.”