The Smith Undergraduate Student Association (SUSA) has appointed two Business Week representatives instead of one as part of a variety of changes to this year’s annual business week.
In addition to the extra representative, some SUSA clubs will also play an integral role in planning the Smith School’s flagship event this fall, whereas previously the affair was solely organized by SUSA.
SUSA President Brian Doyle hopes that these changes will help raise Business Week’s profile and make it more inclusive than in years past.
“Everyone knows what Greek Week is; we want Business Week to be like that,” Doyle said.
While this isn’t the first time in history SUSA has chosen more than one Business Week representative, it is the first time they will have clearly defined separate roles, according to SUSA Advisor David Wilmes.
Representative Andrew Hamilton, a junior marketing and supply chain major and Italian minor, will be in charge of the opening day.
“My responsibility is to get a speaker student’s will want to listen to,” Hamilton said. Hamilton added that as part of raising business week’s profile, he would like to get a speaker that has name recognition throughout the University in addition to being relevant to Smith students. “I want a speaker that can attract an audience big enough to fill the Cole Field House,” Hamilton said.
Representative Aaron Fagan, a sophomore finance major, will oversee the clubs that SUSA chooses to plan three of the other four days of the event. (Faculty, rather than SUSA, plan the fifth day of business week.)
“My job is to provide them with assistance for anything they may need,” Fagan said.
While Business Week representatives usually plan all of the SUSA events during the week, SUSA’s executive board has decided this year to limit SUSA’s involvement to opening day, and pick three clubs to plan the other events. The board accepted applications from interested clubs until March 7, and will announce its choices within a few weeks, according to Doyle.
“We want clubs to have an opportunity to get their name out there by hosting a big event early in the semester,” said Doyle.