There’s always something going on at the University of Oklahoma.
In fact, “Always Something” is the motto of OU’s Union Programming Board, a student-run organization dedicated to creating and hosting a wide variety of free events for students in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. UPB brings events to students such as a comedy fight night, musical trivia, and the Meacham Film Series, giving students one more chance to see newly released blockbusters on the large screen in Meacham Auditorium.
“UPB offers students the opportunity to bring any event to campus,” said junior accounting major Todd Riddle, UPB’s Public Relations Director. “We want to make the Union an engaging place where students can always find something to do for free.”
Take, for example, UPB Escape, one of UPB’s more popular events. UPB Escape is an escape room where groups of students work together to solve puzzles and clues found inside the room in a race to unlock the door. The room has a narrative that guides participants and motivates them to escape before the time limit expires. UPB will host its next escape room on Dec. 1, just in time to offer students a distraction from end-of-semester stress and a chance to hang out with friends.
“UPB Escape started with an idea a student had for an event, and it is still going due to the interest and passion people have for it,” said Riddle. “Each time we host UPB Escape, we start from scratch. We pick new themes and create new clue paths, utilizing new items within the room. Our goal is to make sure a student who comes each time we offer the event will have a fresh experience every time.”
UPB is not the only student-run campus organization devoted to putting on events for students. The Campus Activities Council also hosts events for students like the Oklahoma Creativity Festival, a yearlong experience that includes a music festival, a paint war, and a fashion and art show, among other activities. Studio Arts senior Rebecca Curtis is the CAC chair for the Oklahoma Creativity Festival. She recently hosted the OCF’s fashion and art show in the Fred Jones Art Center.
“This year, the fashion and art show had a bunch of artists and designers from all backgrounds and styles,” said Curtis. “There were three parts to the show: the runway show, the art exhibition, and the market. We had a lot of free food and drinks for attendees. Most importantly, attendees got to see what members of their community are passionate about and all of their hard work.”
While Curtis was focused on the fashion and art show, CAC Dad’s Day Chair Blayne Norman was busy preparing for Dad’s Day at OU. One of his favorite events of the weekend is casino night.
“CAC Casino Night is something that was started for Dad’s Day 2016 last year. Casino night has been successful in bringing together students and parents because it provides a setting in which attendees can play games, eat food, and socialize together while appreciating the university atmosphere,” Norman said.
Students are encouraged to join both CAC and UPB. Curtis points to the leadership development opportunities to be gained as one of the best reasons for joining CAC.
“We're here to serve the campus,” said Curtis. “We program events for different audiences on campus and provide chances for the students on CAC committees to learn more about their communities and to develop leadership skills.”
Riddle agreed.
“UPB is an organization that develops leaders through event planning. We believe every student on this campus has the ability to be a leader. Additionally, UPB has involvement with options, which allows each student to pick and choose how involved they want to be. UPB is a great organization that grows leaders, fosters a community, and brings life to the Union.”
