20210827 Minerama 30. Photo Credit: Missouri S&T.
Student Involvement will host Spring O’Rama, a campus involvement fair, on Friday, Feb. 2, in the Havener Center for recognized student organizations (RSOs) to promote their organizations and attract new members. This event has grown in popularity. Last fall, MinerRama attracted 175 groups and 850 first-year students. Both events welcome RSOs, non-registered student organizations, departments, and community groups to host a booth. The registration process for the event is easy. All groups, except community groups, should register through a form on the campus involvement platform MinerLink. Community groups can register by contacting Madeline Lechner, program manager of campus events and entertainment for student involvement, at mmlzr3@mst.edu or 573-341-7877.
During MinerRama and Spring O’Rama, attendees can get free merchandise from student organizations, play interactive games, hear music on KMNR, and watch student design team presentations. Both events are a great opportunity for students to socialize and have a good time with their peers as they kick off a new semester.
Hosting a booth at MinerRama or Spring O’Rama is an excellent opportunity for departments and groups to contribute to the campus atmosphere by engaging with the student community and promoting inclusivity. They can attract new members and volunteers who share similar interests or goals by showcasing their work, mission, and values. This event also provides an on-campus platform for networking and establishing new connections with other groups, departments, and community organizations.
Community groups, such as Phelps County Dream Center, Missouri Extension, and Mentoring Makes a Difference, have participated in past MinerRama or Spring O’Rama events. These events provide opportunities for partnerships and collaboration on future projects and initiatives, as well as increased visibility and engagement for participating groups.
Planning these events is no small task. “We face several obstacles while planning these events, but despite this, we take a proactive and flexible approach to planning successfully,” says Madeline Lechner, program manager of campus events and entertainment for student involvement.
Lechner says she arranges multiple meetings with landscaping for outside events, reserves the event area a year in advance, partners with physical facilities to provide tables and chairs, and makes contingency plans for unexpected weather conditions. “Student involvement and student workers partner with other departments to create a memorable experience for all attendees,” Lechner says.
Examples of partnering with other departments includes coordinating with the chancellor’s office to serve ice cream and working with the athletics department, which plays a crucial role in the event’s success by arranging for the marching band, dance and cheer teams to perform.
These campus involvement fairs and collaborations with different departments create a cohesive and exciting event people look forward to attending. They have become cherished traditions at Missouri S&T and are a testament to the university’s commitment to fostering community among its students, faculty, staff and alumni.
If anyone should have any questions or need further assistance with registering, student involvement is on standby at mstinvolvement@umsystem.edu or in the office located at 218 Havener Center.