SLAP emphasizes student involvement

Kelsey+Magee

Jeffrey Barr

Kelsey Magee

Student Lead Activities Programming, better known on the JSC campus as “SLAP,” has committed to another semester full of events for students. Founded around two and a half years ago by a group of students who wanted to provide engaging activities for their peers on campus, SLAP plans, books and runs events that they provide for students each week.

“People were saying there was nothing to do on the weekends, it’s boring, stuff like that,” said SLAP Student Coordinator and Co-Founder Kelsey Magee, “So we wanted to have events that students were going to want to have on campus, and were going to go to.”

SLAP has already begun its involvement in the community this semester, starting off with what Magee says is one of the most popular events that they hold: laser tag.

“People love laser tag,” she said. “We get that feedback every time, so it’s something we keep bringing back. The hypnotist is also something people love, and something we’re bringing back.”

Students can look forward to events at least every weekend, which Magee and a group of about seven other students get together weekly to plan. “We do a SLAP Saturday every Saturday afternoon. We do different things, like we do bingo, which we have really cool prizes at,” said Magee. “They did making ice cream last weekend, we had tie-dye, and so for that we provide all the materials. We usually have snacks, music, things like that, and it’s always free.”

SLAP plans to not let the climax of the semester lie with laser tag. They are actively trying to figure out more things to bring to campus that will interest the community. “Coming up, we’re still planning for the rest of the semester, but we’re hoping to bring a magician, have a different hypnotist, possibly an improv group that might be doing something, we’re always looking for more suggestions. This [past] Saturday at the basketball games we’re going to be handing out little Valentine’s Day treats for whoever wants one,” said Magee.

Magee put an emphasis on the importance of students getting involved in the campus community and taking leadership roles in things that they feel could be improved. After all, that is how SLAP was originally formed.

“We saw an issue with how student activities were being run,”

said Magee. “It was really being run from more of an administrative point and staff point rather than students’, and that was where a couple of us [students] saw an issue. So we really kind of took on leadership and decided that we wanted this to be something that was run by students.”

While Magee is graduating this semester, she looks forward to leaving SLAP in the hands

of her peers, and continuing to better the program. “I really just want as much student input as possible,” she said, “that’s kind of what I’ve been looking into, and continuing to make sure that everything is student run, and student driven. That’s the most important thing to me. This [school] is something that you’re dedicating four years of your life to. Take advantage of those opportunities that are being offered. Go to events, give a suggestion or help plan an event.”

Students who are interested in being a part of SLAP are welcome to join its

weekly meetings on Tuesday nights at 7 in the SLAP office.