I’ve read handfuls of studies that have praised extra-curricular involvement and the benefits students can reap. I’ve heard even more speeches and testimonials from my mentors how beneficial being involved in more than just going to classes.

Despite all of the statistics and the praise I’ve heard from everybody, none of it really mattered to me until I got involved myself.

My freshman year, I was very eager about getting involved and finding my own nitch on campus. I was a part of a Living and Learning Community, had a job on campus at the library, joined a Fraternity, ran for the track team, was assistant director for the musical, on top of going to class every day, finding friends and socializing. To say the least, I was extremely busy my first year of freedom.

Despite being bombarded with meetings, practices and socials, I had an unbelievable start that has led to an even more amazing experience at Fort Hays State University. To expand on this, I am going to start a series of why people should be on their programming board at their institution. I’m writing about specifically about being involved with your programming board because it has been the most rewarding organization I have been a part of.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe every higher education institution has a programming board. While a majority of institutions having board by many names such as Student Activities Board, Campus Activities Board, Student Programming Board and University Activities Board just to name a few.

What we do as programming boards is discuss, plan and facilitate events for our campuses. Possible events are magicians, comedians, speakers, DIY projects, raffles, giveaways, karaoke nights, trivia nights, rock walls, mechanical bulls, inflatables, puppy therapy, movies, dances and community service projects just to name a few!

In order to get better ideas for programming, boards meet up at conferences sponsored by NACA, the National Association for Campus Activities. There are conferences for each region in the United States and for the country itself. At NACACEN, or NACA Central, the regional conference is hosted for Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and a few other state’s higher education institutions.

I just got back from NACACEN and am now writing this article and I am wiped. First off, the drive from Kansas to Texas and back is crazy long. Thank goodness for good company and my neck pillow, otherwise I think I would’ve gone crazy. Second, the conference itself is insanely busy. Participants are either eating, in education sessions or watching showcases of potential acts to bring to campus. You go from 8:00 AM to 1:00AM for 3 days straight because the days are jam packed full of sessions for the attending students. Third and most importantly, you meet tons of students with the same intentions as you. You and a hundred other students are this regional conference to trade ideas, work out problems and make connections from across the country.

Join your school’s programming board because you’ll get the opportunity to better provide for you campus all the while making friends and having fun. NACA is an amazing organization that brings together all of these programming boards from across the country together. NACA wasn’t the original reason I joined my school’s programming board UAB, but it sure the reason I’m going to stay and work hard for UAB.