Pictured above: Two students enjoy the paint and sip during “Welcome Back Week.” (Photo courtesy of Carley McGovern)

Events planned by The Campus Activities Board (CAB) have been a success so far this semester. “Welcome Back Week” included a paint-and-sip with singer Emma Jude, Silent Disco, and a Quad City Storm Hockey Game, free to students. CAB always tries to start off the semester with a bang, packing the first week with exciting events. 

CAB hopes to keep this momentum going throughout the semester with many fun events on the horizon. The first thing that they are planning is a simple movie gift card giveaway, just in time for a Valentine’s (or Galentine’s) Day date. CAB will then finish off February with an opportunity to give back to those in need, as the blood drive is coming back for anyone who is able and willing to donate. 

Due to many requests from students, CAB will be hosting another Casino Night in March. Casino Night will have all the classic games such as Blackjack, BINGO, and Roulette. At the end of the night, students can turn in their poker chips for tickets, which can be put in raffles to win big prizes! Some of these prizes include an air fryer, Airpods, and a TV.

Three semesters ago, CAB partnered with some students from a management class to develop the first casino night, and the event has returned every semester since. Ty Tinkham was originally one of these students, and is now the CAB treasurer. When asked about the creation of Casino Night, Tinkham said, “A small group project turned into a fan favorite event for many students on campus.” 

The CAB executive board will take a break from planning for a weekend in April to attend a conference in Des Moines hosted by the National Association of Campus Activities. During this conference, members of the board will watch various acts including music, comedy, magicians, and other events, giving them a chance to find and book new acts to bring back to campus. 

Photo courtesy of Jason Richter. Pictured above, the CAB Executive Board at the NACA Conference of 2023 in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Will Haugen, the Co-Vice President of CAB, says he is excited to be going back to NACA for the second time. Haugen states, “I’m looking forward to experiencing the booking process and finding events that students will be excited about.” 

While the executive board is away at NACA, they are hoping that some of the newer members will host a smaller event to get some experience in planning and leading events. CAB isn’t sure yet exactly what the event will be, but it is likely to be a Spoons or board game night. About sixty percent of CAB are upperclassmen, so this is a great opportunity for the younger members to step into leadership roles. 

At the end of the year CAB is planning a bunch of exciting events to keep students’ morale up when finals season approaches. They will kick this off with Food Truck Fest, where local food trucks park on campus and provide food for students. 

Each SAU student will get a voucher for one free item at the event, and then can spend their own money if they want after that. This is usually one of the biggest CAB events of the semester and they are hoping for another big turnout this year. 

CAB will also host a recurring classic at the end of the semester, BINGO night! This event provides a fun evening for students and an opportunity to win prizes. These prizes can range from snacks to an air fryer or a TV. 

During finals week, CAB is bringing back a new event, Lattes and Llamas! During this event llamas are welcomed onto campus to provide some stress relief during the chaos of finals week. Stingers–flavored energy drinks from the campus coffee shop–and coffee are also provided to enjoy while petting the llamas. This event was new last year and turned out to be a hit, so CAB is happy to bring it back again this year. 

CAB is super excited to see students and faculty at the events this semester! For those wanting more details or reminders for events, look out for emails from Student Activities or text “CAB” to 71444 for timely updates.