The following is courtesy of guest contributor, Emily Bell Cox, student development specialist for the Office of Campus Life.

We’ll get to Spring Fling in a minute, but first, let me do a little recruiting for UPC. Each day, when a UALR student or staff member asks me what I do for a living, I tell them that my main duty is to advise UPC. I am then always met with the question, “What is UPC?” Here is what I share with them:

The University Program Council (UPC) is a registered student organization that serves as a programming extension of the UALR Office of Campus Life. UPC provides concerts, lectures, comedians, and entertainment of all kinds. This semester, UPC has sponsored comedian Loni Love, Welcome Back 2011, A Love/Hate Relationship: Valentine’s Day Party, Mardi Gras Celebration, and Spring Fling. Each month, UPC hosts movie nights as well.

Spring Fling is a great example of what we organize, and here’s what we have going on this week:

Monday, March 28
11:00-2:00: BONGO BALL is BACK!
Come play Bongo Ball in the DSC Fitness Center!

Also in the Fitness Center we will have FREE Food, make your own street sign, and design your own bumper sticker!

Tuesday, March 29
7:00 p.m.: Musician/Songwriter Kyshonna Armstrong (DSC Room A, Refreshments will be served.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GmYtuYfEcg

Wednesday, March 30
6:00 p.m.: Family Movie Night: Tangled (Leadership Lounge, Refreshments will be served.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSx1dYJlJh4

UPC = F-R-E-E!

Any student who wishes to participate in the University Program Council may contact me to become a member. As a member, a student may have the opportunity to travel to regional and national conferences to help choose entertainment for the upcoming year. For instance, this year the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) conference was held in St. Louis, Missouri.

UPC membership has various benefits. When students join UPC, they are encouraged to propose certain programs to the council and then are responsible for coordinating all the various aspects of bringing the program to life on the UALR campus. UPC members have the opportunity to work with many different groups and to graduate with the experiential education of programming student activities. UPC members also have the opportunity to serve in leadership positions within the organization.

UPC is currently looking for new members. Students who are interested should contact me at ebcox@ualr.edu, stop by the Office of Campus Life in DSC Room 216, or find out more online at ualr.edu/campuslife.