SOOIE Announces October 'Of the Month' Winners

Submitted by SOOIE

Trevor Villines is SOOIE's October RSO Member of the Month.

Student Organization Outreach and Involvement Experience (SOOIE) announces Registered Student Organization Member, Advisor, and Event of the Month for October. The winners are as follows:

The Member of the Month for October is Trevor Villines from Fellowship College. Villines has served as Fellowship College president for the past two years. He has used a strong sense of vision and dedication to give Fellowship College a new structure and purpose on campus. Villines has worked to establish policies for the RSO and has recruited new officers to the organization. Due to his hard work, Fellowship College was able to participate in Razorbash for the last two years. This allowed them the opportunity to recruit new members for the RSO and expand their reach on campus. SOOIE commends Trevor Villines for these outstanding accomplishments and appreciates his involvement in campus life.   

The Advisor of the Month for October is Carole Shook. Shook advises the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, an international organization that works to promote cultural exchange and friendship with all other cultures on campus. Chinese students represent the largest population of international students on campus, and Shook has helped them explore ways to get involved at the U of A. She has instilled confidence in these students to pursue leadership positions and is always the first one to support events hosted by the organization. She is currently working on her PhD and provides insight to students on continuing their education. Best of all, she takes the initiative to welcome all cultures on campus.  Carole's contributions to the University of Arkansas are truly invaluable and we commend her for her dedication to the advancement of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association.

The Event of the Month for October is the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival hosted by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association. It was held in the Reynolds Center with more than 300 attendees. This cultural celebration positively influenced Chinese students on campus.  Many stated that it gave them a sense of home. The event was free to all students and consisted of a game, show, and dinner. Prizes were awarded throughout the night, and the event also included six performances. The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is a tradition for CSSA, but this year the group added new components such as animated videos and trendy games in Chinese pop culture. Their goal for this event was to showcase and spotlight Chinese culture. We appreciate the hard work that the Chinese Students and Scholars Association put into this event and the impact it had on campus.

Winning these awards qualifies the individual and the RSO for an opportunity to attend the End of the Year Involvement Banquet. This Banquet will highlight the amazing things RSOs accomplished throughout the school year.  Attendance is limited, and winning any of SOOIE's "Of the Month" Awards guarantees entrance. Nominees who were not selected for Member and Advisor "Of the Month" will roll over to the following months for consideration.

In addition, Member of the Month will receive a $10 Chartwells gift card; Advisor of the Month will receive a framed certificate of recognition; and SOOIE will also reward RSO's who win Event of the Month by providing snacks at their next executive meeting.

SOOIE is an RSO focusing on outreach and involvement. Members of the campus community can nominate a deserving member, advisor, or RSO event for one of SOOIE's November "Of the Month" awards. Applications are due Nov. 30. For questions about "Of the Month Awards," please contact Ally Davis, SOOIE Vice President of Internal Affairs, at sooievp@uark.edu or call 479-575-5255.

This program is sponsored by SOOIE through the Office of Student Activities and is supported by the Student Activities fee. Follow SOOIE on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and HogSync for "Of the Month Award" updates and much more on how you can get involved on campus!