USU Productions' main goal: making students happy

By Eisa Al Nashmi

Few students know that part of their tuition is spent on student activities.

These activities are sponsored by University Student Union (USU) Productions and include events like concerts, festivals and movie screenings.

“We charge very small amounts of money for our activities because our budget comes from student fee money,” said Kristie Godfrey, program adviser for USU Productions.

USU Productions is a student-based entity that provides activities, entertainment and social interaction for all students and faculty.

Godfrey said the main idea behind USU Productions is to make students happy, which is why students are in charge of all the events sponsored by USU Productions. The staff consists of 14 student coordinators in charge of 10 committees. Student committee members also work with each coordinator.

“Student coordinators go to class with other students, so they have a feel on what their classmates want,” Godfrey said.

One of the major events happening this semester is Homecoming, put on by the spirit committee.

“Spirit tries to have events that promote spirit and unity among Fresno State students,” said Michael Horta, coordinator of the spirit committee. “It also tries to show the Fresno State pride.”

Horta said Homecoming is a week of fun events for all students and faculty to come together as a university and promote Fresno State in a positive way. The event will be held Oct. 20-25.

Horta, along with the 20 spirit committee members, went around campus to see what students really wanted and which events would attract their interests. They found out reality television shows are big with students, so the theme of this year’s Homecoming is “As Seen on TV.”

Some of the events include “Say What Karaoke,” taken from the MTV show and “Who Wants to be the Ultimate Bulldog,” which is a mix of “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire” and “The Weakest Link.”

Horta said he expects this year’s event to be full of excitement.

“ I want it to be a celebration that will only get bigger as the years go on,” he said.

Over the course of this semester, there will be many concerts and movie screenings for all students, Godfrey said

Melissa Villa and Angela Carr are the coordinators of centerstage, a committee that brings theater, dance and musical acts to the students at Fresno State.

Centerstage has invited Hubbard Street Dance, a professional modern dance group from New York specializing in modern dance. The group will perform Nov. 9 at the Satellite Student Union.

“ The performance will open the students’ awareness to different dance styles,” Carr said.

Villa and Carr said they have great expectations for this event.

“ I want people to come and see something they have never seen before and then leave happy,” Villa said.

The music scene committee is having a concert at the pit every second Wednesday at noon. Godfrey said this year, there will be smaller shows because they are focusing on local talents.

Students can now watch blockbuster movies for much cheaper than going to a movie theater, Godfrey said. The big screen committee sometimes shows free movies and this year they will be having some sneak previews of big films.

Godfrey said every year the recreation and leisure committee offers a trip. Past trips included white-water rafting and a trip to Six Flags-Magic Mountain amusement park. This year it will be a shopping trip to San Francisco on Dec. 6.

Godfrey said USU Productions provides all these fun activities just to make students happy and to get them more involved with school.

“ College is not just about academics,” she said. “It’s about experiencing all different aspects of life and becoming a well-grounded individual.”