SOOIE Announces 'of the Month' Winners for August-September

Kyle Phillpott

Nominate an RSO "star" for October Of the Month by Oct. 31.

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

• The RSO Member of the Month for August and September is Mersady Redding from the Pre-Veterinary Club. Redding serves as the President of the Pre-Veterinary Club. She is a crucial contributor to the success of her peers, who say she is the first to volunteer and serve in any role necessary. Her leadership talents and ability to innovate help the Pre-Veterinary Club succeed. Redding is also involved with the Bumpers Honors Student Board, the Honors College, and the Bumpers mentoring program. SOOIE commends Redding for these outstanding accomplishments and appreciates her involvement in campus life.
• The Advisor of the Month for August and September is Jill Rucker. Rucker advises Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT). Rucker currently serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology and volunteers her time to serve as an FFA Agricultural Communications Career Development Judge. As the advisor of ACT, Rucker provides feedback on programming, contest entries, as well as opportunities that the officers want to provide our members. Consistently, you can find Rucker working with students on resume development, interview preparation, and even leadership development. Even outside of ACT, Rucker invests her time, talents, and treasures into her students despite a long commute. Beyond her official roles and responsibilities, Rucker also provides an excellent example to her students of family values and responsible decision making. On a daily basis, Rucker strives to provide developmental opportunities for her students to become qualified job candidates. She has been recognized by students across campus for her dedication to the organization. Rucker's contributions to the University of Arkansas are invaluable and SOOIE applauds Rucker for her dedication to the advancement of the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow.
• The Event of the Month winner for August and September is "Walton College of Business Freshman Business Connections-ROAR Workshop." This event was hosted by the Razorbacks Offering Accountability Resources on Aug. 29-30 in partnership with the University of Arkansas Athletics Department Mental Health and Sports Performance Clinician and the Walton College of Business. This event provided students with an opportunity to learn about the consequences of drinking and gain education on bystander intervention. Over 400 freshman students attended the ROAR session and ROAR plans on continuing their partnership with the Walton College. SOOIE commends the hard work the Razorbacks Offering Accountability Resources put into this event and the impact it had on students across campus.

Winning these awards qualifies the individual and the RSO the 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 gift card; Advisor of the Month will receive a framed certificate of recognition; and SOOIE will 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 "Of the Month" awards. Application are due on the last day of every month. For questions about "Of the Month Awards," please contact Amanda Funderburg, SOOIE Vice President of Internal Affairs, at sooievp@uark.edu or call 479-575-5255. 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!

This program is sponsored by SOOIE through the Office of Student Activities and is supported by the Student Activities fee. SOOIE is a program in the Division of Student Affairs.

About the Division of Student Affairs: The Division of Student Affairs supports students in pursuing knowledge, earning a degree, finding meaningful careers, exploring diversity, and connecting with the global community. We provide students housing, dining, health care resources, and create innovative programs that educate and inspire. We enhance the University of Arkansas experience and help students succeed, one student at a time.