Student affairs officials started the hiring process for new student leadership positions.
Two students will lead new campus committees-the Student Civic Engagement Committee and the OKCU Dance Marathon Committee.
Engaging with students
The Student Civic Engagement Committee works with student affairs officials and outside organization members to give students more control of volunteer opportunities.
The group plans to revive campus events like the voter registration drives, and services for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Veteran’s Day and other days of observance. They also will bring in distinguished speakers and organize two campus volunteer opportunities per month, one on campus and one off campus.
Maridith Grimsley, entertainment business junior, said she heard about the committee at a meeting.
“The director would work with a student committee and be responsible for on-and off-campus civic opportunities,” Grimsley said. “Anyone can apply.”
Levi Harrel, associate director of student development, is in charge of selecting the director and members of the committee.
“The director will meet with me to plan and coordinate the events,” Harrel said. “I’m looking for someone who is outgoing, dynamic, hardworking, and has some initiative.”
The director of the Student Civic Engagement Committee is a student professional position and will be paid five hours per week. The selected student will start this semester and stay in the position through Spring 2019. After three trial semesters, the director will become a one-year position, Harrel said.
Harrel said he received multiple applications and has begun interviews, but it is not too late to apply.
“I’m hoping to make an offer in the next couple weeks, but there is no deadline to apply until the position is full,” he said. “Everyone who applies will be offered a spot on the committee, even if they don’t get the director position.”
If Harrel wants to fill more spaces on the committee, he will send an application to students via email, he said.
Giving back
Students have been chosen for the executive team of the OKCU Dance Marathon. They are:
– director: Edyn Rolls, philosophy junior,
– publicity and promotions: Maridith Grimsley, entertainment business junior,
– finance and sponsorship: Camryn Sanders, biomedical science senior,
– event operations: Ethan Zambrano, dance pedagogy junior,
– hospital relations: Brooke Winegardner, dance management sophomore, and
– dancer relations: Ally Zahringer, theater and performance sophomore.
Dance Marathon is a nationwide event that allows participants to dance for six consecutive hours to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a non-profit organization that helps fund children’s hospitals and medical research.
“I am very excited to be the first ever director of the dance marathon,” Rolls said. “It is such an honor to have the responsibility of creating a position that will hopefully be one of esteem for many years to come.”
Rolls will oversee the council and fill empty positions. She said the council will serve through April 2019. They plan to host a small event this year, but next year will be the first official dance marathon.
“It is a really special opportunity because the council and I get to determine what kind of event this will be in years to come,” she said.
She said she’s hoping students and organizations will participate in the event, which will replace Relay For Life.
The committee will determine how teams and Greek organizations will be incorporated into the event, but everyone on campus will have an opportunity to participate, Harrel said.
The campus community used to participate in Relay For Life annually until the event was discontinued after last year’s event due to insufficient resources from The American Cancer Society.
See Page 4 for more about Relay’s cancellation.
“The American Cancer Society no longer has the ability to provide staff support, so we can’t host Relay For Life anymore,” Harrel said. “Dance Marathon is a great opportunity to use our school’s commitment and drive for a very similar event with a very similar vibe and structure.”
“It’s a great opportunity to get the campus engaged in philanthropy and giving back to the OKC community,” he said. “CMNH is just three miles down the road, so it’s nice to do things for those in need so close to us.”
Students may email Harrel at ljharrel@okcu.edu to apply or learn more about the committees.
Leave a Reply