CAS CONNECT 2015

42 INAUGURAL AUTUMN ARTS GALA Every year the council hosts Arts & Sciences Week (last year’s ran Nov. 10-14). Council members stayed busy throughout the week with smaller events, such as handing out free hot chocolate to students. They also organized the A&S Student Organization Fair, which gave several A&S student organizations the opportunity to raise awareness for their work within the OSU community. Arts & Sciences Week concluded with the inau- gural Autumn Arts Gala, an exhibition of student work from the visual and performing arts and humanities departments. A series of musical performances, dramatic pieces and poetry readings from students in OSU’s music, theatre and English departments took place in the Seretean Center’s Concert Hall. Afterward, attendees were invited to walk across the street to a reception at the Gardiner Art Gallery, where visual art pieces from several OSU art students were on display. “We didn’t really have a ceremony or any speeches,” says Zach Miller, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in December and had work on display at the reception. “But honestly, I think people were glad to just walk around and see the work that all of us had done and get a chance to talk to us if they wanted to. It was different from your usual juried exhibition or competition. And the performances before [the reception] were absolutely amazing!” The council planned the gala with financial support from the College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office. The gala was free, and food and drinks were provided at the reception. In recognition of the council’s commitment to serve OSU and the surrounding community, any monetary donations went to the Stillwater Multi-Arts Center, a city-operated center that fosters a creative environ- ment to develop, explore and engage the community through the arts. Lindsey Brownlow, the 2014-2015 student council adviser, praised her students for planning the gala, almost entirely on their own. PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING PHIL SHOCKLEY / UNIVERSITY MARKETING