Jessie Morris, the new student activities officer, said she hopes to get students out of their dorms and interacting with each other.

“My main goal is to basically present things to the students that they are actually interested in,” Morris said. “We want to be student-oriented.”

Morris has organized several new events to kick off the year. A “Speed Meet,” akin to speed-dating, aims to get students to meet their classmates and get to know each other.

“I think the first week activities are going to blow away the freshmen and returning students,” Student Association president Joaquin Roibal said. “I’ve been here since 2005 and we’ve never had a schedule like this.”

Roibal said the expanded and improved list of activities shows how hard Morris has been working over the summer to create a welcoming atmosphere.

“The Speed Meet is a simple concept, but I think it’ll be a huge hit,” he said.  “My biggest problem as a freshman was meeting people. Some people come to Tech with friends from high school, but many of us don’t.”

The Student Activities Board is also supporting tours of the Very Large Array and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory. The SAB is sponsoring van rides to the VLA on Sunday, Aug. 22, and to the MRO on Sunday, Aug. 29.

“I didn’t get to the VLA until last year,” Roibal said. “We have amazing science going on here at New Mexico Tech and students have access to these facilities. The MRO and the VLA are world-class facilities. I think these tours will be huge.”

Another new activity is the MoneyTree Game Show, which will be hosted by a comedian and give students a chance to win cash.

Other first-week activities include a snow cone social on move-in day, a pool party, and a movie night, comedy night and a block party/dance.

The block party this year will feature Arthur Ruiz of DJ Kings in Albuquerque. Morris is hoping that the addition of a DJ will encourage students to stay longer and dance the night away.

“Jessie is great with people and we’re really going to see a huge buzz from the first week,” Roibal said. “I hope that will carry on through the first semester.”

A junior majoring in biomed, Morris hopes to organize a full schedule of fun events throughout the year.

“It seems like students just do their homework,” she said. “We want students to meet each other, doing fun activities and get them out of their element.”

She already has a team of students working on planning the 49ers weekend events. She plans on getting that weekend planned during the first two weeks of the semester and immediately start planning Spring Fling events.

“We’re all really excited for 49ers,” she said. “It’s not all planned out yet and I’m looking for ideas. I really want to get more ideas from students to see what they’re interested in.”

The SAB is bringing in a nationally known comedian to kick off 49ers and will certainly bring back the tradition favorites – the bordello, casino night, volleyball, football and the bonfire, just to name a few.

“I think she’ll succeed beyond all expectations for 49ers,” Roibal said. “People who have been here 10 years will be amazed at what we have coming.”

  Friday: Snow Cone Social, 2 p.m.
  Saturday: Pool Party, 7 p.m.
  Sunday: VLA Tours, noon
  Monday: Speed Meet, 5 p.m.
  Wednesday: Outdoor Movie, 8 p.m.
  Thursday: Comedy Night, 7 p.m.
  Friday, Aug. 27: Block Party and Dance, 6:30 p.m.
  Sunday, Aug. 29: MRO Tours, noon
  Monday, Aug. 30: MoneyTree Game Show, 6 p.m.

Reorganized Student Activities Board Aims To Foster Community Spirit

The new school year at New Mexico Tech will see the unveiling of a newly-defined Student Activities Board. Joaquin Roibal, president of the Student Association, lead the effort to create an quasi-independent body that is meant to empower a larger group of students to plan and organize campus events. “The S.A.B. is under the S.A., but separate from us,” he said. “I don’t control Paydirt and I don’t control the S.A.B. We’re trying to increase student awareness, student activities and access to plan and control events the way students want. We want the college experience and the college community to be the way they want it to be.” Roibal said the Student Activities Board in recent years had been largely operated by a small group of people – sometimes just two students. This year, student activities officer Jessie Morris is putting together five committees to plan and organize various facets of the S.A.B. events: Music & Dance, Movies, Special Events, Outdoor Events and Comedy. Roibal said Morris has set high expectations for herself and her committees. He said he’s impressed with how the year is starting and he looks forward to a full slate of activities throughout the year. “I’m very happy to have Jessie as student activities officer,” Roibal said. “She’s been great at thinking of new activities that students will enjoy. But it’s more than just activities. It’s about community and building a social network.” Another function is to improve the college experience for incoming students and create an environment that fosters academic success as well, Roibal said. “Our events will help the school with retention, graduation rates, student happiness and student success,” he said. “It’s easy to leave school if you don’t have friends, but if you meet a bunch of people at the Speed Meet or other activities, you’ll get study buddies, friends who get on you when you miss class and people to help with homework.”

 

 

 

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By Thomas Guengerich/New Mexico Tech