CAC and ResLife teamed up together last year to create Hub, a conglomeration of events and activities on campus, so that students would have a space to have fun on Fridays and Saturdays. In the past, CAC and ResLife events have overlapped, forcing students to choose between different activities. Hub provides a way for CAC and ResLife to collaborate on events so that they do not conflict with each other
At the helm of Hub communications is Housing and Residence Staff Member Tyler Goss. He acts as a liason between CAC and ResLife. “I craft the weekly advertising emails to students, work with the awesome CAC marketing team to promote events, organize the supplies, empower the fantastic CAs who run the event, often get to attend the event itself, and then craft surveys to solicit feedback from students about the events,” Goss said. “I oversee the process from start to finish, which can sound like a lot, but when you are talking about ice cream sandwiches, Pixar movies, and awesome student workers, it’s a pretty sweet gig.”
Although ResLife collaborates with other clubs and organizations, such as CAC, the Hub events are ultimately sponsored by ResLife. For each event, a few CAs are working there, either cleaning up, keeping the activities going, making food, or providing other support needed. “I just try to help around to make sure people are having fun and things are clean and prepared,” sophomore CA Olivia Mbualungu said.
Creating Hub and determining how it is most effective has been a continual process. Last year, CAs were put into teams of two or three and asked to create an event for a specific week. By the time the CAs had the event planned, there was not much time to advertise it, so attendance was minimal. This year, attendance has been much better. “I would say there is an average of about 25 people. Sometimes we have as many as 50 show up, and other times we have as few as four,” Goss said.
Junior CA Capril Mirarchi believes some of this increase is due to the variance in locations. “This year, we are also trying to do it in different lounges, where last year it was just Northlawn… We have had stuff in Northlawn already, Elmwood, they have had [a fire pit] in the Quad, I think we have something in Cedarwood coming up. We have done open gyms and movies in Common Grounds,” she said.
The purpose of Hub is to create a space for students to enjoy themselves on weekend nights. “We are trying to keep people in a safer place and trying to give them something to do that they can access, too, because a lot of freshmen and sophomores might not have cars,” senior CA Abigail Shumaker said.
Students are enjoying the revitalized Hub. “It is a great option for those of us not into partying. One of my favorite events so far has been human bowling, the competition with friends is awesome and the Hub is a great way to make new friends,” first-year Chretienne Damaska said.
First-year Isaac Longacre said “There is often food, but they are also just a lot of fun. You are able to hang out with friends, and you have the opportunity to meet many new people … There is a lot of planning that goes into them, and even if you don’t stay for the whole time, it can be fun just to stop in and see what’s happening,” he said.
Shumaker is pleased with the changes that have occurred over her past three years as a CA. “I’ve been really happy with where it has gone, and I think it can go so much further to being this really effective event,” she said.
Goss wants to put in the effort to take Hub further so that it will continue to suit the needs of students and support collaboration among programs at EMU. “I would love to keep involving and promoting other student clubs and organizations through Hub. For instance, the two Hubs on Homecoming weekend are made possible by ResLife, CAC, Rec Sports, Astral Society, and the [Composer] Collective. I want to see more of that!” Goss said.
