October RSO Member, Advisor, and Event of the Month Announced

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 RSO Member of the Month for October is Kate Truitt from the Student Alumni Board. Kate currently serves as the director of Homecoming for the Student Alumni Board. Prior to serving as director of Homecoming, Kate served on the Homecoming committee and was responsible for the Student Alumni Board float and parade direction. This year, Truitt was responsible for every aspect of Homecoming. She was crucial in planning the Homecoming parade, including reaching out to several local organizations, coordinating with Greek Life, and recruiting volunteers. Under Kate's leadership, the 2018 Homecoming parade had record-breaking participation.
• The Advisor of the Month for October is Samuel J. Rochell. Rochell advises the Poultry Science Club. Rochell currently serves as an assistant professor in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, specializing in poultry science research. He has helped grow the Poultry Science Club by networking with other agricultural and animal related groups. In addition, he has encouraged students within the Poultry Science Club to balance the business agenda of the organization along with ensuring the club is a fun environment for students to engage with their peers. Rochell is very active in helping students obtain internships and jobs by connecting them with industry professionals. He consistently helps students balance commitments with the Poultry Science Club along with their academic endeavors. Rochell's students describe him as organized and very helpful with managing the Poultry Science Club budget. Rochell's contributions to the University of Arkansas are invaluable and SOOIE applauds him for his dedication to the advancement of the Poultry Science Club.
• The Event of the Month winner for October is the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration. This event was hosted by Chinese Students and Scholars Association on October 6 at 6:00 p.m. in the Donald W. Reynolds Center. The festival included cultural games, performances, and dinner. The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival aimed to educate and expose the University of Arkansas to the unique Chinese traditional culture. This event is the yearly hallmark event for the Chinese Students and Scholars Association and this year's festivities reached over 150 students. SOOIE commends the work Chinese Students and Scholars Association put into this event and their efforts to diversify the cultural understanding across the University of Arkansas 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. Applications 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.