As part of the protocol for the Leadership Advancement Scholars at Central Michigan University, we are required to take place in small teams that all help the Leadership Institute to have events. Some of these teams include Diversity, Grad Ball, and Polar Plunge. In this past school year, 2017-2018, I had the chance to be a co-chair with my dear friend Olivia in the lead team called the Special Events Lead Team (SELT).
I was in SELT my freshman year of college and it was a great experience. I felt I was able to meet individuals in other cohorts and also become close to people in my cohort that were on the same team. When applications opened in the spring of 2017 I knew that I needed to apply and offer the LEAD team everything I had to offer it. I was very pleased to hear the news that both myself and Olivia had received the positions and we would be able to work together with a new team.
I would just like to say how awesome of a team we had this school year. Every meeting they came with fresh ideas with a great work ethic and we accomplished many great things. During our first meeting, we put together values that we could think back on while planning future events and we felt like we needed to remember why we were planning these events.
These Purpose, Goals, & Expectations were as followed:
- Purpose: To plan, coordinate, and execute special/social events within the Leadership Institute.
- Goals:
- Relevant meetings
- Gain/build skills (organization, event management)
- Plan meaningful & engaging events
- Connect LAS Cohorts and LI members
- Improve marketing
- HAVE FUN 🙂
- Try new things
Our lead team was still a fairly new team and had no prior expectations to what we were supposed to be planning. We were told that those people involved in the Leadership Insitute enjoyed traditions so we set out to start to find and begin new traditions. Our first event was called Ballroom Bash.
Ballroom Bash was a great success. There had never been anything, to our knowledge, that was like this event. This was a free fall themed event. Having inclusivity of all
members of the Leadership Institute was at the forefront of why the event was being planned. Having fun games, including Kahoot!, a floor tic tac toe, and cornhole, crafts, and season appropriate food and drink we had the perfect set up for a well-themed event. I was very pleased that our team was able, and willing, to go above and beyond to help promote our event. This included being the people in group chats to continuously send the same graphic over and over to let people know that this very fun event was taking place.
This slideshow shows a few pictures from the night, huge thank you to those who were snapping pictures the entire night!
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Now moving on to our last and final event of the year: LEAD on Ice.
This is an event that has held tradition for many years within the Leadership Institute. This type of event tends to be more laid back than other events since it is ice skating. There was not a lot for our team to do other than promo the event to everyone they know. Our team made their own promo video which you can see here.
We had a great turn out and our team did a wonderful job promoting our event. I am so thankful for each and every on of them and all they did to make their event the best it could be.
These are some pictures caught throughout the night.
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When planning events there it is a 50/50 chance that it will either turn out great or turn out way wrong. Our team was able to host two successful events. Both events carried the same values that we had set for ourselves at the beginning. I loved getting to know everyone on my team and seeing them get to know each other. We truly had an amazing team and I am happy I was able to be a part of it.
Sam Olivarez 
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