Someone recently asked me what I thought might have been the best weekend activity so far this year. It is hard for me to pick just one because, of course, I want everything that we plan from weekend to weekend to be the best. But after thinking about it, two things come to mind.
The first has to be when Christian Garris ’05 and his band “The Black Kennedys” returned to Tabor to perform in the Beebe. The reaction they got from the students was fantastic and the students immediately asked when the band could return. The second activity that comes to mind is open mic nights. These evenings have become a staple at school over the last few years. Students know that whenever Mr. Dineen is on duty there will be an open mic night, which is great as the students will prepare something in advance to perform and that encourages their friends to attend as well. It is always so much fun when we can showcase our own students’ abilities and talents and to do so in front of 100 to 150 of their peers.
Open mic nights fit perfectly into my philosophy as Tabor’s new Student Activities Director. I want the students to own the weekends. I want them to feel invested in the process of planning and creating the weekends, and putting themselves out there even it means taking some risks to try new things. Another part of my philosophy is to make sure that every weekend has a little bit of everything, something for everyone. Whether we take a bus up to see a performance at BU to see “Madforest” or stay home to see a scary movie in the old squash courts, or enjoy a pizza and game night, I want everyone to feel invested and to find something that they will enjoy!
I have been very fortunate to have a great mentor in Chris Millette, the previous Student Activities Director, as well as to work with some unbelievable student leaders to make sure that I cover all the bases to reach my goal to improve from weekend to weekend. At the end of the day, it is all about the students. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that our students feel comfortable, happy and engaged here on weekends. As an alum, I have a unique perspective and know how important student activities are to the overall experience and opportunity of Tabor. I look forward to continuing to improve on the great foundation I was given to make weekend life at Tabor the best student-directed experience possible! It is a real honor for me to be back here in such a pivotal role with students, helping them to create their own unique and memorable Tabor experience.
