Catching Up with UPB's Vice President

By: Alonna Gibbs & Alexa Ovington

Georgia Southern's University Programming Board's Vice President of Special Events talks about her experience being apart of UPB before and during COVID.

The University Programming Board is an organization that hosts events on campus for students to have a "True Blue" experience according to Eagle Engagement. UPB's Vice President of Special Events, Amber Lloyd talks about her experience being apart of the special events committee before and during COVID. Lloyd is a Junior Business Management major. As Vice President of her committee, she hosts "the more intimate events" on campus for students. "I host the more DIY events for students on campus", said Lloyd. Amber has been apart of UPB since her freshman year. "When COVID first hit we lost the intimacy of family bonding in the organization".

Lloyd talks about how hard it was at first for the organization to accommodate COVID regulations in order to continue to host events on campus for students to enjoy. Last year, Doo-Dah which is UPB's major homecoming event was hosted online due to COVID. Doo-Dah was hosted in person this year since Georgia Southern is considered to be an open campus after going virtual in 2020. Lloyd talked about how tricky it was to host Doo-Dah last year opposed to this years competition. She said that the annual homecoming event brought out at least 3,000 people.

As Vice President she talks about how she has to think outside of the box in order to host intimate events that students can enjoy. "I have to plan around for 200-500 people because I never know how many students are coming", said Lloyd. UPB's Vice President said it "hasn't been as hard" for her to plan events considering that the rules are being "somewhat lifted" on campus. She alluded to the lifted restrictions on campus buildings, such as Hanner Field since that was the building Doo-Dah was hosted in. Vice President Lloyd talked about the turn outs that the organization has had since the campus has lifted some of the COVID restrictions that it had. The last three upcoming events for the organization includes the Lighting of Sweetheart Circle on November 12 from 5:30-7:00 p.m., Drive-In Movie at Paulson Stadium showing "Best Man Holiday" on December 1 at 7 o'clock p.m. and UPB's No Stress Zone that will be hosted in the Russell Union Ballroom on December 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. .