Student Activities Events Continue as Spring Begins

“We have been busy planning these events since the summertime,” said Lara Hines, director of student activities. “We put a lot of time and effort into them to make sure the student life events are as successful as possible. We want MBU students to enjoy their college experience.”

The office started off the semester by appreciating the commuters of MBU, offering free donuts and orange juice on a January morning in C Lot.

Joey Link, sophomore business major from New Baden, Illinois, and member of the student activities staff, said he wanted to make sure the events cater to commuter students as well, and offering a “surprise breakfast” was just what he was hoping for.

“It was a breath of fresh air to bring some happiness to C Lot. … It added to the surprise and awe that commuters had for this event,” said Link. “It was a sheer pleasure.”

Hines and her leadership team of Ragan Duboise, Student Activities Office coordinator, Abby Temper, junior early childhood and elementary education major from St. Charles, Missouri, and Madelyn Shotton, senior journalism major from Bowling Green, Missouri, work together in creating events that cater toward different groups of students.

The Hidden Valley Ski Trip in late January catered to students who love to ski or snowboard, as well as first-timers or those who chose snow tubing.

Victor Rada, a first semester senior, exercise science major and student activities member from Caracas, Venezuela, said he was eager to plan an event involving snow as it was something he couldn’t do at home.

“After planning this event, it was an incredible experience. It was my second time trying snowboarding and I really liked it,” Rada said.

Among some of the smaller, daytime events, were the Valentine Dessert Building on Feb. 11 and the Valentine’s Day Party on Feb. 14, where students received free food, created Valentines and spun a wheel for prizes.

Although most of the semester’s events are annual, student activities hosted one new event called “Game of Cards Night” on Feb. 25 in the Perk.

Using a play on words from “Game of Thrones,” this event held several tables of competitive card games, including UNO, Spoons and Pass the Trash.

Emma Jones, a sophomore pre-nursing major from Washington, Missouri, and member of student activities, said the event was perfect for anyone who loves a little friendly competition.

One of the most popular events each year is the Spring Break trip. According to Hines, this year’s trip to Destin, Florida, filled up quickly in January as there were a limited number of spots on the bus.

This $100 trip included hotel and transportation, with the bulk of the cost being subsidized by the university. For those who missed it, the trip will be offered again next year with sign-ups beginning in January 2020.

Spring Fling Week began this week, featuring free food, Painting in the Petty, an ’80s Skate Night at Great Skate in St. Peters, and a newly implemented scavenger hunt.

Sign-ups for the scavenger hunt begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and the game begins at 7 p.m. Students will use their knowledge of MBU as well as physical endurance to explore campus hunting for items and answering questions related to the education and history of MBU and more.