Holy Cross' Campus Activities Board (CAB) Driven by Success

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Campus Activities Board (CAB) at the College of the Holy Cross has been honored with two awards from the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA). The honors include Best Student Designed Web Site, created by publicity co-chairs Elizabeth Norberg ’09 and Viennie Chanthachack ’11; and Jimmy Doan ’09 won a Student Leader Award.

Each fall, CAB attends a regional conference for the NACA, which is designed to allow campus programmers to see new artists, meet agents, learn about programming, and share ideas. As part of the process for sharing ideas, schools submit articles of clothing, posters, and Web sites to be judged, and clubs and students are recognized for their successes in campus programs.

“All you could hear from our little corner of the convention center lobby was just an incredible outburst of excitement and joy. It was honestly a complete shock,” said Chanthachack, who has been a member of CAB for two years. A psychology major from Leominster, Mass., Chanthachack also serves as the Student Government Association secretary for the class of 2011, a SPUD volunteer, a fall and extended orientation leader, and a student graphic artist for the Office of Student Programs and Involvement.

Chanthachack worked with Norberg, a religious studies and English double major, to design the award-winning Web site. This is her second year as a CAB co-chair, and Norberg said that CAB “wanted to revamp [the Web site] and make it more accessible to the Holy Cross Community. Events are publicized individually…and Viennie and I wanted to reflect our cooperative efforts with a cohesive website.” The accessible Web site provides students with updated events and activities hosted, sponsored, or offered by CAB. After graduating from her roles as co-chair and Williams Hall resident assistant, Norberg hopes to do some volunteer work in the Boston-area through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, a program dedicated to living and working for social justice.

Doan serves as the president of CAB. “I love what I do and I really enjoy working with the people that make CAB what it is,” explains Doan. He said it was a complete surprise when they announced his name for a Student Leader Award, which only three other students received.

In addition to his work with CAB, Doan exercises his student leadership in other activities, both on and off campus. He serves as the resident assistant on Wheeler’s fourth floor and holds an internship in Greek Life at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Next year, he plans on attending graduate school for a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized, but I don’t see myself doing anything out of the ordinary,” said Doan. He’s just doing what he loves, and in the process helping steer CAB to regional recognition.

CAB is the major student programming organization at Holy Cross. Run by students, the group promotes the cultural, recreational and social aspects of college life. CAB plans programs and provides activities for the entire campus, including performing arts, special events, outings, and weekly entertainment in the Crossroads area in the Hogan Campus Center.