CAB works for more student involvement

Faith Griffin

The Campus Activities Board is taking the students’ interest at hand as they continue to bring activities to campus.

CAB has sponsored several events and still occupy a low profile. However, being noticed and making a name for themselves is not their concern.

“They [students] may not remember or know that CAB hosted events, but they’ve probably been to one,” said Brian Flax, senior sports management major and president of CAB.

The CAB board consists of 15 members, over half of whom are volunteers. CAB tries to pick events that everyone will appreciate, keeping in mind that there are several different types of students with different interests.

“The purpose of CAB is to add to the educational experience of the Washburn student body through entertainment, unique events and programs, in addition to assisting student organizations with the same goals and more importantly to have fun,” said Flax.

To aid CAB in booking quality entertainment for upcoming events, CAB members attended the NACA national conference for the programming showcase of 50 different entertainers. The genre of entertainers includes bands, comedians, inspirational speakers and poets. CAB takes this opportunity to work with other colleges by booking performances the same week as surrounding colleges such as Kansas University. With this method it allows the entertainers to save money on travel expenses and CAB finds out, at large, what type of entertainment college students prefer.

At the NACA conference, CAB was given the chance to see what the entertainers had to offer by viewing their performance. Comedians such as Kristian Vallee, a former teacher, caught their eye.

“His comedy reflects on his personal experiences at the middle school and high school where he taught,” said Flax.

Bernie McGrenahan, also a comedian, hosts a show called Happy Hour Comedy and will be performing his act in the spring. As a college student he had 3 DUIs, led a hard life and still found inspiration through his handicap brother. Through his comedic gift, he gives an inspiring talk with college students about what to do when your friend is drunk and other tactful advice to ensure your safety when under the influence of alcohol.

Joaquin Zihuatanejo is a poet that is also scheduled to perform at Washburn in the spring. He is an educator in the inner city school in Dallas, Texas. Through poetry he expresses his life as a young Hispanic boy and the obstacles that he has overcome.

Ludo, a rock band from St. Louis, Mo., is returning to Washburn to perform at the Battle of the Bands. This will be Ludo’s third time performing at Washburn.

“Washburn has really become a fan base for Ludo,” said Flax.

CAB tries to be very relaxed in their meetings by taking off their shoes on floor said Flax. Their relaxed method shows through the events they host making sure that students feel comfortable and less stressed.

“We have a lot of team work. Our biggest goal is to have students come out to participate. Participation depends on the activity, so we put a lot of thought into what the student body wants to get involved in,” said Flax.