LATROBE, PA – On Nov. 18, Saint Vincent College Activities Programming Board (APB) student leaders attended the awards ceremony for the mid-Atlantic region of the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) and walked away with several prestigious awards.

The student leaders who attended the ceremony this year included juniors Shelby Stoner, Gabby Bricker and Emily Fultz and were joined by Deanna Wicks, advisor of APB and Director of Campus Life, and Veronica Phillip, co-advisor of APB and graduate assistant for student activities.

Overall, APB was presented with four awards this year: Outstanding Program Board, or Programming Board of the Year, which is given to boards that have been outstanding in the past year, with special attention paid to student participation on the board and in events (SVC’s APB has won this award for three years running); Outstanding Community Impact, which was adjusted this year to account for the COVID-19 pandemic and recognizes a student organization that has demonstrated innovation and perseverance as they have worked to build community virtually; and Mid-Atlantic Spirit Award, which is given to a nominee who works to build school spirit on campus, and specifically works to find partnership and collaboration opportunities.

In addition, Stoner was presented with the Unsung Hero Award. This award is given to an undergraduate student from a college or university who has made positive contributions to student activities on their campus or in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The award recognizes and celebrates those who have successfully made an impact on student, campus, and community life through their work on campus. “I was honored and speechless when they called my name for this award,” said Stoner. “Being a part of SVC and APB has been an incredible experience and there are not enough words to explain how blessed I am to have the APB family in my life. It’s my piece of home away from home.”

“This is a really big deal for our programming board and for Saint Vincent,” Wicks explained. “Our Activities Programming Board, which is fully student run and driven, works tirelessly to provide safe and fun events and experiences for students at Saint Vincent. Our goal is always to program in ways that help students reduce stress, enrich community campus-wide and engage creativity.”

Wicks further noted the impact that having an activities programming board has on a college campus, sharing that, “Students who are involved on campus in college have a greater sense of belonging, and our hope is to help all of our students feel that belonging here. Though the last few years of Covid have been a challenge, we have navigated our way through these changes and have learned a lot of new techniques and ideas, which we are implementing with great success.”

NACA’s mission is to empower members to amplify the campus experience through inclusive learning, meaningful connections and engaging entertainment that transforms college communities and helps to make those communities into a place where everyone belongs. The Mid-Atlantic region of NACA encompasses Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, metro Washington DC and Ontario.

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PHOTO 1: Shelby Stoner, Leslie Soriano, Emily Fultz and Gabby Bricker pose for a photo on the beach in East Haven, CT, at the NACA Conference

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