OSI Guest Blogger: Laurel Pierce
Being a part of the DePaul Activities Board is like peeking behind the curtains during a performance.
You get to see an entirely different side of events that you probably haven’t seen before, and it’s a fantastic experience. DAB is made up of 7 committees, 6 of which regularly plan events for the DePaul student body. Each committee has an area that they focus their events on, like music, speakers, comedy, and more! Each event follows the same general process to be created.
We start with an idea. It may be an idea that a coordinator has, something that comes up at a committee meeting, or anything we’ve discovered at NACA (the National Association for Campus Activities, they hold a conference every year that brings hundreds of vendors for colleges to see!) There are 8 coordinators on the Activities Board, and 6 of them plan events (the other two are our social media and marketing coordinators). Each coordinator creates multiple events per quarter. Then we discuss the ideas at our committee meetings and decide what will happen at the event.
After the idea is created and the details are laid out, it is the coordinators job to begin working on the logistics of the event. This means that if we are bringing any sort of performer, like a musician, speaker, or comedian, they need to contact a middle agent to find out if they are available.
If they are available, the coordinator will then start the process of contracting the performer. If we are bringing in an outside vendor, as in a company that brings anything that is not a performer, we will follow a similar process of requesting availability then beginning a contract. Finally, if the event does not require a contract, the coordinator needs to find out what supplies they need and how much they cost.
Next it is also the coordinators job to fill out an Event Request Form for each event they want to put on. This form lays out all of the nitty gritty details about the event… like time, place, supplies, and anything else that will happen at the event! We’re allowed to submit as many Event Request Forms as we’d like so there are plenty of options.
The form goes to our E-Board who reviews it and either approves or denies it based on factors like cost, value to the community, and if the event is logistically possible. If it gets approved, the event goes on our schedule! Not every single event gets passed, but that is why we’re allowed to submit so many Event Request Forms!
Once the coordinators hear back from the E-Board on which events got passed, they let their committees know what events will be happening the following quarter.
As the date of the event approaches, coordinators begin to discuss with their committees on how best to facilitate their events. They also will ask committees to brainstorm creative ways to market and promote their events, to maximize the amount of attendees!
The coordinator will collaborate with the social media and marketing coordinators to find unique ways to reach the students.
We do social media contests, creative posters, promotional items, and more.
On the day of the event, the coordinator will have already gathered volunteers for certain tasks. We also usually do some last minute promotion by walking around the event’s location letting people know what’s going on!
The level of involvement of DAB members during the event depends on the event itself. If we have a speaker, DAB members ensure that attendees swipe in and are respectful of the speaker. If it’s a more involved event like a trivia night, the DAB members would play a greater role in helping facilitate the event.
Once the event is over, the coordinator fills out a Post Event Review Form, or PERF. This asks the coordinator to provide final details on what they spent on the event, what went well or didn’t go well, and other pertinent information about the event’s execution. After the PERF is filled out, the event process is complete!
There are a lot of details that go into the planning of DAB’s events, but we all love working together to create a great experience for DePaul students.
As an organization we strive to put on a wide variety of events that all types of students can attend and enjoy. We are always trying to explore new ideas, but keeping traditionally popular ones as well. As our slogan says, we are by students, for students.
Interested in planning events for our student body?
Well, great news…ALL are welcome at our General Board meetings every Monday at 5pm in Student Center room 220! New members are welcome at any time during the school year. If planning events isn’t your thing, one of the best things about the events that DAB plans is almost all of them are free for DePaul students, with the exception of FEST and the Blue Demon Dance.
….Laurel Pierce is currently a sophomore studying both Public Relations and Organizational Communication. She has been involved in the DePaul Activities Board since the first day of her freshman year. Laurel is this year’s Blue Demon Week Coordinators for DAB. Her responsibilities include planning two spirit week events, and also planning the Blue Demon Dance. She is also a part of the Chi Omega Fraternity here on campus!
dpuinvolvement.wordpress.com 