The University Programming Council is one of two governing student body organizations at Northwestern State University. With the council consisting entirely of students, UPC’s motto is For the Students, By the Students.
UPC is responsible for providing fun and engaging programs for all students on NSU’s campus. UPC hosts numerous events each semester ranging from coffee houses, student game shows, concerts, carnivals and more.
This year, UPC will be hosting Culture Fest, a new event designed to help students learn about and understand other cultures. Trevor O’Bannon is the student activities and organizations coordinator at NSU and this is his second semester in a leadership role with UPC. Culture Fest is “a way to encompass all the different cultures and backgrounds that NSU has through our students that you may not be familiar with or realize,” O’Bannon said.
Valerie Hallot is a sophomore nursing major and the UPC lagniappe manager. This is Hallot’s second year with UPC after working as a coordinator for the spring team last year. Hallot said that, while Lady of the Bracelet is her team’s primary event, they are looking forward to hosting others like Pause for Paws, which is coming back after a brief hiatus last year.
Abby Petermann is a junior psychology major and is the UPC community outreach supervisor. Petermann decided to join UPC after getting in a funk her freshman year and looking for a way to get more involved on campus. Petermann said UPC is looking to collaborate a lot more with other organizations this year, starting with the International Student Resource Center for the new Culture Fest event. “We’re also trying to partner with SGA a lot more because we are both governing bodies and want to work as a unit to show the school that we support each other,” Petermann said.
UPC members put in a lot of time and work to get their events ready for NSU students. “Even though a lot of the time we’re doing labor, work and moving stuff around, it is a bonding experience for the team,” Hallot said.
UPC presents students with lots of opportunities and even offers students scholarships for joining. “A lot of people don’t realize that UPC is scholarship-based, so while it is a lot of work, we do want to assist with the financial burden that comes with tuition,” O’Bannon said.
Students who are interested in UPC are encouraged to attend UPC’s weekly open committee meetings where students can hear what events UPC is planning and give their own input.
