Invasion of Privacy: Sarah Feik: GCAB’s chair
Photo courtesy of Sarah Feik
Geneseo students recently heard some very exciting news: Neon Trees will be performing at the highly-anticipated yearly event known as Spring Fest. The day will be packed with activities and will draw in hundreds of students, as it has done in the past. While many students attend this event, they are often not familiar with the group that plans and produces this amazing day.
The Geneseo Campus Board of Activities (GCAB) is responsible for this day and for the many other events and activities available to students. The board is composed of students and is led by a chair, who also serves as the Director of Student Programming on the Student Association board, a position elected by the students. This year the position belongs to the incredible Sarah Feik.
Senior marketing major Sarah Feik has served on GCAB’s board since her sophomore year at SUNY Geneseo, where she was inspired to apply for the board after attending one of their live music performances known as Fall Fest. While these live music performances are what GCAB is known for, Feik added that “our goal is to bring the campus community together, foster a sense of belonging, and create inclusive spaces where students can connect.”
While being a full-time student, Feik oversees the planning and execution of events throughout the year including Fall Fest, Halloween events, End of Summer Jam, basketball games, and of course, Spring Fest. These events can take weeks, or even months, to plan and ensure that “every policy is followed. If we aren’t in compliance, it could put us in a difficult position and potentially prevent us from continuing to plan events,” which Feik stated as the most challenging part of her role as chair
Being chair is extremely time consuming, but Feik found the role to be worth it because “being involved with GCAB has given me real-world experience in an area I might pursue after college, and without it, I wouldn’t have discovered this passion.” The board allows students to gain real experience with marketing plans, events planning, and even complicated things like budget lines and contracts.
Planning for this year’s Spring Fest has been occurring for almost an entire year, as Feik explained that “[GCAB starts] thinking about Spring Fest as soon as the previous year’s event ends. After the event, we hold a debrief to discuss what went well, what didn’t, and how we can improve.” The planning is something that often goes overlooked; Feik dedicates countless hours not only to this planning, but also to educating other board members on what they need to do in their individual positions.
Although Feik is in charge of the other students on the board and often has to support them in various ways, she has found that spending time with everyone on the board is her favorite part of GCAB, telling me that “this year, our board was relatively new, with only a few returning members, and it’s been amazing to see how much everyone has grown in such a short time, especially considering the intensity of balancing our work with school responsibilities.”
As someone who has been working alongside the board with Feik this past year, I can attest to this, and also to her dedication to GCAB. I have asked her countless questions throughout the year, both big and small, and have gotten in-depth, quick responses from her every single time. She runs quick and effective weekly meetings, while still allowing everyone to have a good laugh and bond.
While Feik is onto bigger and better things after her graduation in May, she will be missed by everyone on the board, especially those who will be returning. She has built professional and personal relationships with students, staff, and faculty members which will help GCAB for years to come. Anyone interested in being a part of this amazing board can join GCAB’s general member program, which provides students with the opportunity to “plan their own event, shadow members of the GCAB board, and learn more about GCAB as a whole!”