Faith Moldan

All of the hard work SDSU’s Residence Hall Association put into its bid to host MACURH, a regional student leadership conference organized and run by students, next fall paid off. RHA was awarded the conference at this year’s MACURH in Lincoln, Neb.

Katie Jo McGuire, the chair, leader and face of MACURH 2006, as one member of the RHA executive board described her, was happy with the results.

“It came together really fast, really quick and really good. We got a lot of positive comments,” she said. “We needed one yes. We have a whole year (to finish and complete everything).”

Michael Kervin, director of Residential Life, was one of the necessary signatures RHA needed before it could officially submit and present its bid.

“This is a great achievement for RHA and the team that put together the bid,” Kervin said.

His involvement in the process is minimal, as is that of Residential Life, with the exception of giving advice and support. Members of the residential life staff are active as advisors for RHA and are volunteering their time next fall during the conference. Troy Alfson and Dana Northrup are the two staff that have advised RHA through the bid process.

Kervin said, “(People attending the conference) will see one of the best campuses in the upper Midwest. When someone mentions SDSU, they will be able to say that they were here and what a beautiful campus and area it really is.”

Melissa Tiede, a member of the RHA executive board and co-chair of the housing and registration for MACURH, said she was very excited to hear that RHA had received the conference.

“We will be meeting two times a week . . . starting after Christmas break. We will need volunteers for most of the different areas of the conference,” she said.

The conference will bring about 650 people to SDSU and the Brookings community for four days next November.

“It (MACURH) will bring a lot of money to Brookings and the university,” McGuire said.

McGuire said RHA will need volunteers to help with registration, signs and decorations, just to name a few things. Students living on and off campus are encouraged to help. Interested persons can contact RHA via e-mail at [email protected], or call Troy Alfson at 688-5148 for more information. RHA’s next MACURH meeting is Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. in The Market.