Keeping University of Idaho traditions alive is one task charged to a group of students and alumni — the Student Alumni Relations Board (SArb).
SArb’s mission is to increase Vandal pride and traditions by connecting students and alumni through events and workshops around campus, said Mia Goodwin, the student alumni program coordinator.
“They aim to connect students with alumni through networking events or just through those signature events,” Goodwin said.
The board puts on events like Vandal Walk, Moms’ and Dads’ Weekend, GradFest and the Traditions Keepers book, which can be ordered online.
Across the street from Farmhouse, SArb held an open house last week in its location in Hays Hall in the Alumni Office. Goodwin gave a quick overview of what SArb is and board members introduced themselves.
Michaela Brown, a chemistry and biochemistry major, is the vice president of operations. She has been a member of SArb for about two years and has been in her current position for a semester already.
“We are like a little family, and we’re from all different organizations, we have people who live on campus, people who live in sororities and frats, people who live in residence halls, we just all come together to form this little family outside of these other organizations,” Brown said.
Mia Goodwin, SArb advisor, adresses the open house attendees about the benifits of joining SArb.
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She said getting involved in SArb was a good way for her to network with alumni and get out of her lab. Brown said she joined because she had friends in the organization when she got to UI and she wanted to polish up her professional skills.
To get more students involved in SArb, the board held an open house in the UI Alumni Relations office, so students could get to know them in an informal setting.
Besides networking, Goodwin said students can become more involved in the university community through SArb because the students in this group help plan the big signature events like Moms’ and Dads’ Weekend.
“We help build each other up but also help other students on campus,” she said.
Kali Nelson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kalinelson6