Junior Nicole Bond, Associated Students of Linfield College vice president of programming, announced the hiring of the 2011-12 Linfield Activities Board chairs during the April 18 ASLC Senate meeting in Riley 201.

The LAB chairs announced at Senate are sophomores Tessa D’Alessandro, special events chair; Evan O’Kelly, musical entertainment chair; Emily Jenkins, on- campus programming chair; juniors Amanda McGee, sports and outdoor off campus programming chair; Nicole Szanto, cultural events off-campus programming chair; and freshman Andrew Villeneuve, secretary/publicity chair.

“They all have demonstrate[d] a passion for programming, fresh new ideas and overall great potential,” Bond said in an email.

Jenkins is the only hire who held a previous leadership position as a LAB chair. She was the secretary/publicity chair for the 2010-11 academic year.

Bond said that of the records she possesses, she received the most applicants seen at LAB hiring in years.

“I was looking for people with new, good ideas and who are passionate about the position that they were applying for,” Bond said. “There were a lot of highly qualified applicants who didn’t get positions because of the limited amount.”

Bond said that the outgoing vice president of programming usually conducts the interviews. Since there wasn’t an outgoing Cabinet member this year as Bond holds the same position for next year, she asked junior Rachel Coffey, ASLC president-elect, to join her and Director of College Activities Dan Fergueson with LAB hiring. The three of them interviewed the 22 LAB chair applicants April 12 and 13, and the hires were informed of the outcome the evening of April 13, Bond said.

The group met April 18 to discuss ideas and events, Bond said. However, McGee did not attend the meeting as she is spending the semester abroad.

“It was a good meeting, and there were a lot of creative ideas, but we plan to keep some old ideas also,” Bond said. “Students have a lot to look forward to.”

Because the budget deadline is April 29, Bond has been meeting LAB chairs individually to discuss ideas, budgeting and what is to be expected for the rest of the year.

Position turnovers will take place May 1, but until then, the hires are shadowing and brainstorming with their predecessors, Bond said.

She said that LAB is trying to have all of the events for the coming Fall Semester booked by the end of this semester and all of the contracts for events in September signed by the end of May. Right now, almost all of the “Welcome Week” events for Fall Orientation have gone through the planning process.

Bond is holding a focus group with students April 28 to discuss ideas for events and to find out what kinds of events students want to have on campus. She also wants feedback on her new ideas and what students think went well this year. Bond said she is open to new event proposals.

Students can visit LAB’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LinfieldActivitiesBoard to submit ideas.

Jessica Prokop/News editor
Jessica Prokop can be reached at [email protected].