By Jenna Shelton
jshelton@lc.edu
It feels like with each day, things are changing and one is never really sure what is really going on, but Lewis and Clark Community College’s Student Activities is rolling, trying their best to keep up with it all by hosting virtual programming. L&C has had the unique opportunity to combine forces with multiple members of the Illinois Community College Student Activities Association (ICCSAA) to come up with some great and exciting fun ideas for the students for all seven of the colleges.
In addition to L&C, the other colleges are Richland College, Lincoln Land Community College, Moraine Valley Community College, Morton College, Joliet Junior College and Oakton Community College. This means that L&C students will not only get the chance to have fun and win great prizes, but they will also get the chance to meet new people from all over the state of Illinois, since virtual activities may be hosted with other colleges at the same time.
The collaboration with ICCSAA has decided to use Bass/Schuler Entertainment, a professional entertainment company, to hold a certain number of virtual events that all of the colleges could attend together. Bass/Schuler is an award-winning agency that represents live professional music, games, acts, comedy, speakers, novelties and similar events to colleges, festivals, and corporate markets since 1999.
“Since we’ve moved to virtual programming for the safety of our students, participation has dropped. Other colleges are facing the same thing, so we decided to try to band together, share the cost of the programming, and hopefully, we’ll see student participation going up,” Jared Hennings, Student Activities Coordinator said when asked why L&C chose to partner with ICCSAA.
In fact, next week one of the planned programming events include a special that could be described as improv, spoken word, poetry, humor, along with a wonderful twist in diversity and storytelling by award-winning performer Carlos Andrés Gómez as he draws from his eclectic expertise to create one of the most creative and sought after programs one could ever see.
Other virtual events currently in the works include comedians, escape rooms and even the live music of a beatboxer who makes music with only his mouth, a microphone and a pedal – he will teach students the art of beatboxing.
L&C student and Student Activities member Elise Gremli said, “It’s great! It shows that different colleges support each other and even if we are all different schools, it makes you feel like one big one. Like you’re part of something bigger.” During a difficult time like COVID-19, that is all that colleges like L&C want to do—be there to support their students— whether through classes, financial aid, counseling or just some good old plain fun!
Be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming Student Activities events on their Facebook page as they keep it updated often, as well as L&C’s main Facebook page.
For specific questions or information, please contact Student Activities Coordinator Jared Hennings at jhenning@lc.edu or 618-468-6400. Student Activities President Jenna Shelton can be reached at jshelton@lc.edu or messaged on the Student Activities Facebook page.
