UNK TO HOST 2012 MIDWEST AFFILIATE OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS (MACURH) CONFERENCE NOV. 2-5

Justin Vogel
UNK Residence Hall Association president, vogelja@lopers.unk.edu

The University of Nebraska at Kearney will host the 2012 Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (MACURH) Conference, Friday- Sunday, Nov. 2-5.

The conference, titled “MACURH the Musical,” is a leadership conference for students involved within the Residence Life systems at their respective institutions in the Midwest region. The MACURH region consists of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas and Manitoba, Canada. In all, 41 colleges and universities have registered.

At the 2011 MACURH Conference, UNK received the bid to host the conference. “We made a 20-minute presentation and followed that by a 15-minute question and answer period,” said Justin Vogel of Scottsbluff, 2012 MACURH conference chair. “After that, the National Communications Coordinator Boardroom voted to award us the bid.”

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) and the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) at UNK formed the conference board to apply for the bid and plan the event.

The conference adviser is Jen Kacere, UNK complex director for Mantor/Randall/Men’s Halls. Assisting will be Nicol Corcoran, UNK complex director for Antelope and Nestor Halls, programming and entertainment adviser; Chris Miller, UNK Conrad Hall director, transportation/security/health and volunteer/philanthropy adviser; and Quintenilla Merriweather, UNK Randall Hall director, communications and spirit/hospitality/ceremonies adviser. Miller and Merriweather are also UNK graduate students. Miller is from Shawnee, Kan., and Merriweather is from Summerville, S.C.

“The events of the conference promote networking between schools, presentation of program ideas, conducting business in a boardroom setting for the betterment of the organization, recognizing individuals for their work and dedication, and even a little bit of entertainment,” Vogel said.

MACURH is one of eight regional branches of the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH), which is one of the largest student-run organizations in the world, involving students from across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa.

The 2012 MACURH Conference committee members are listed below, alphabetically by hometown.

Nebraska
Beaver Crossing- Travis Arnold, registration co-chair
Columbus- Shannon Hempstead, transportation/security/health co-chair
Crete- Lauren Stehlik, housing and dining chair
Gibbon- Libby Manfull, recognition chair
Grand Island- Zach Shultz, volunteer/philanthropy chair
Hastings- Whitney Nelson, entertainment chair
Howells- Kyle Brandyberry, programming chair
Kearney- Nicol Corcoran, programming and entertainment adviser
Kearney-
Jen Kacere, conference adviser
Madison-
Mason Herz, communications co-chair
Maxwell- Austin Fletcher, transportation/security/health co-chair
Ogallala- Anthony Alfano, finance chair
Plattsmouth- Andrea La Rosa, spirit/hospitality/ceremonies co-chair
Roca-  Alyx Lingenfelter, registration co-chair
Rushville- Ellie Heath, communications co-chair
Scottsbluff- Justin Vogel, conference chair
Table Rock-
Nicole Dyas, spirit/hospitality/ceremonies co-chair