Friend: “What did you do this weekend??”

Me: “I went on the Union Board Retreat”

Friend: “The Union Board Retreat….what’s that?”I think it’s safe to assume that none of you perspective students know what the Union Board retreat is either. Well, let me explain.

The Union Board is the programming board at Davidson — we plan everything from Orientation, to Spring Frolics, to major concerts and just about everything in between.  The board is made up of 19 people — President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Ambassador, Media Coordinator, Publicity Chair, Concerts Chair (that’s me!), Coffeehouse Chair, Films Chair, Lake Campus Chair, Recess Chair, Artist Series Chair, Speakers Chair, Outpost Chair, Student Performers Chair and 3 Members at Large.

The way that the board functions is that each “chair” has a committee made up of students all over campus — they share their ideas and what they want to see happen on campus, and the committee chair drafts a proposal.  The proposal is given at Union Board’s weekly meetings, and a unanimous vote between all members is necessary for an event to be passed, allowing it to occur.

However, while there are separate committees, there are events that the entire Union Board puts on together, such as Spring Frolics and Orientation.  In order for those events to function efficiently, and for the board in general to be able to work together and understand each others’ personalities, we’re sent on a weekend retreat together!!!

So imagine 19 students and 3 staff advisers in the mountains for a weekend.  We spent our time brainstorming events for the fall, learning about each others’ personalities, and doing a serious case of bonding.  When I got back Sunday afternoon, I felt a weird emptiness to be in my room alone.

So, at the end of it all, I gained 18 close friends, and can’t wait for the fall to make our ideas reality!!!!!