Comet Beach Luau Program of the Year 2013 S WACURH Presented by:

1. Comet Beach Luau Program of the Year 2013 SWACURH Presented by: The University of Texas at Dallas NRHH: Comet Chapter

2. Table of Contents 3 8 11 17 Section One: Introduction and Overview Section Two: Planning and Implementation Section Three: Evaluation Section Four: Conference Presentation

3. Section One: Introduction & Overview Comet Beach Luau was created by Residential Life to be a part of the University-wide annual Welcome Week programming line up. It provides a fun environment to introduce incoming students to Residential Life and for returning students to reconnect with old friends. In August of 2013 the University of Texas at Dallas opened to a hum of excitement from the student body eagerly anticipating the academic year. The new freshman class was a particular point of interest to the student and faculty leaders of residential life. With 2,231 members, the class of 2017 stood as the largest in the history of UT Dallas. With such a large incoming class, we knew that this would be a special year programming wise.

4. Audience: Prep Work: The “Comet Beach Luau” had all the components of an authentic luau. Hula dancers, tiki huts, traditional Hawaiian food, and great music. It brought hundreds of residents out on the last day of summer. We booked the courtyard and swimming pool of the Phase 8 apartment complex for our event and opened preparatory negotiations with entertainment groups and catering organizations. This event would create a comfortable environment for new and returning residents alike to find their niche on campus and also provide students with the chance to meet or reconnect and enjoy a night with friends.

5. Goals for the Peer Advisors (PA’S) Goals for the Residents • Celebrate the beginning of the school year with the largest freshman resident population in UT Dallas history. • Meet and establish rapport with residents from other halls. • Familiarize themselves with the PAs and other residential programs and support systems that are in place for residents. • Encourage unity and solidarity among residents in all four residence halls by providing an open forum. • Meet residents in a more personal setting and create individual connections. • Promote the visibility and approachability of PAs to new residents.

6. Goals for the Program • Provide a safe and fun way for all residents to socialize. • Focus on introducing the freshman class to UT Dallas residential life. • Establish an event at the beginning of the year for residents to begin forming the relationships that will help them succeed in their careers at UT Dallas.

7. Program Basics When residents first walked into the courtyard of the centrally-located Phase 8 apartment complex on August 28th, 2013,they were greeted first by smell: the delicate sweetness of cake mingling with the savory scent of spiced meats. As residents approached the main event area, they colorful Hawaiian themed decorations and could begin hearing the gentle murmur of their peers laughing and chatting in the pool area.

8. Section Two: The Feast: Two teams of PAs stationed at the gates of the pool area signed in residents and handed out wristbands that marked their admission to the event. Each resident was also given a dining ticket that would grant them access to dinner. PAs in hula costumes worked to pass out leis and direct incoming arrivals to the pool area and the buffet line, which included Hawaiian sweet and sour chicken, barbeque chicken drumlettes, veggie kabobs, pineapple glazed pulled pork, and two different options of rice. A large, multi-tiered cake that included cake balls, red velvet, and marble cake layers was served as dessert. Other PAs manned the buffet line and refreshment stands, dishing out food to the residents and pouring cups of Hawaiian punch.

9. The Party: Residents could roam as they wished through the area, socializing with other residents as well as PAs and the professional hula dancers that had been contracted for the event. The pool had been decked out in a style reminiscent of the tropical climates where luaus might be held, with straw decorations and strings of flowers featured prominently throughout. Residents could swim in the pool, learn hula dancing from professional hula dancers, or, in keeping with the theme of leisure, simply relax and talk to their neighbors on the lounge chairs scattered across the pool deck.

10. Marketing: PA’s worked a marketing booth in the Student Union where they handed leis with invitations to the Luau. The event was also highlighted in the beginning of the year university brochure. Posters, texts, and word of mouth were also very popular. The event ended with a performance by the hula dancers that had been contracted for the luau. Male and female hula dancers lined up on the pool fountain and performed several dances.

11. Section Three: Evaluation With a total of 1,195 attendees – far exceeding our expected turnout of 600 attendees – and the overall satisfaction of the residents with our program, the UT Dallas Luau was a complete success. The Comet Beach Luau was widely successful, as almost 1,200 students attended the event. No formal evaluation takes place following events at UT Dallas, but event coordinators heard almost universally positive feedback from attendees and volunteers.

12. Challenges: High Attendance: Attendance at the Luau exceeded expectations. As a result, space was limited, and it was sometimes hard to maneuver through the crowd. This made it difficult to send messages from one group of volunteers to another, so volunteers had to make extra efforts to maintain communication. TikiHut Preparations: The tiki huts had to be assembled inside in order to avoid inclement weather and to make their unveiling more dramatic. However, once volunteers built the tents, they had to be partially disassembled in order to fit through the doors. This led to setup taking slightly longer than expected.

13. Food Shortages: The high volume of students (much higher than anticipated) also ate the food at a much higher rate than anticipated. Those who arrived at or near the beginning of the event received food, but by the latter half of the Luau, not all newcomers were able to eat as much as earlier arrivals. This made the presence of other entertainment even more important, as students needed a reason to attend other than to get free food.

14. Changes: More Volunteer Outreach: Twenty students volunteered to help work at the event, and while their efforts helped the event run smoothly, the volunteers were sometimes stretched thin at the event. Advertisement of the event to students had been extensive and successful, but the same focus was not dedicated to potential volunteers. Reminding students of their ability to volunteer to help with the event would ensure that there are enough volunteers on hand at all times. Larger Venue: The Phase 8 Clubhouse area worked well as a venue in large part because of the pool at the clubhouse, but the area was not large enough to comfortably fit 1,200 students. Future luaus could expand the venue to the immediate area around the clubhouse, but this may interfere with other residents’ activities. It is most likely that future events will require a new, larger venue to accommodate the high volume of attendees.

15. How to make it work at your university:s Start recruiting volunteers as soon as possible in order to ensure that setup, cleanup, and the event itself all work smoothly. Plan any prop building activities well in advance. Make sure to budget for supplies and to ensure that the logistics of the building process work smoothly. Paying special attention to logistical issues will ensure that no effort is wasted. Listen to students and find a theme that will excite them. Do not be afraid to change an upcoming event in response to student feedback, as the students will appreciate the changes as a sign of their influence.

16. How to do it on a Budget • Team up with a charitable cause and charge for food and drinks. Any profits can be donated to the charity, and the charity could be incorporated into the theme of the event. • Instead of hired professional dancers or other entertainers, organize a competition for attendees to participate in. This involves students in the event and provides entertainment even for those who do not compete.

17. Section Four: Presentation To present this program at conference, a Prezi presentation would be created to explain the origination, organization, implementation, and evaluation of the program. The presentation would last for approximately 60 minutes. • 0:00-0:10 Introduction to the program and origination of the idea • 0:10-0:15 Goals for the Peer Advisors, students, and program • 0:15-0:25 Organization and implementation of the hula lessons and performance • 0:25-0:40 Organization, explanation, and implementation of the banquet • 0:40-0:45 Review of handouts • 0:45-1:00 Evaluation: challenges, changes, and how to implement at another university To present the program, a computer with access to the internet as well as a projector and screen would be necessary. A Prezi presentation was chosen due to the fun and interactive way it allows the presentation to unfold to the audience, keeping those spectators more references than a normal PowerPoint slideshow. A packet of useful handouts would also be given to those acting the presentation to assist them by having physical copies of what is being discussed in the presentation, as well as references, if they chose to bring the program back to their campus: • Copies of the of the budget and expense report break down • Copies of all fliers and banners that were used to advertise and decorate.