By Lexie V. Owen | Echo
Before students can dance in the moonlight, a new cabinet will spend many late nights planning special events. The Special Events Committee, or SEC, a new Taylor Student Organization cabinet, will focus on organizing student dances, along with other small celebrations.
After the success of last year's events, which included the masquerade ball and the rave, TSO decided to create a cabinet dedicated to planning and brainstorming social events to bring the student body together. The cabinet currently has seven members.
"The TSO Executive Cabinet was planning the dances in the past," SEC president and sophomore Danielle Spoutz said. "While it was a lot of fun, it was time consuming, so they added another cabinet to take it over."
"You can expect the fall dance and the dance in the spring, per usual," committee member and senior Callie Taff said. "But we're hoping to also have a couple of surprises for people in there somewhere!"
Being involved in SEC requires both creative and organizational skills. The committee meets once a week to discuss new ideas. Researching themes and visiting prospective venues are also on the agenda.
"We logistically plan the dances and other (social) events and work behind the scenes to make them a reality," Spoutz said. "We plan everything from decorations to venue to activities."
According to Spoutz, event ideas are incubating, but the fall dance is the focus right now. Currently, SEC is coordinating advertisements and Airband commercials for the upcoming event on September 26.
"Our most recent meetings have been brimming with excitement as we have begun to put our ideas into real plans for our first event this fall," junior committee member Maggie Williamson said. "We are extremely excited about the progress we have made so far in organizing that event, and students can be looking to find out more information on what to expect at Airband."
SEC will focus on designing events to engage the student body in fun and interactive social experiences. This year's committee hopes to set the tone for future years and create new traditions at Taylor through providing new outlets for students to come together.
"We aim to be an extension of the already-existing intentional community at Taylor, while also adding another meaningful dimension to the culture here on campus," said Williamson. "Our hope is that the dances and events we plan will provide opportunities for students to connect with each other in unique and meaningful ways."
