The SAA welcomed a room full of new faces and returning members to the fall open house last Monday night, thanks to hours of recruitment efforts around campus. As always, there was a lot to talk about. Guests heard from our e-board, then sipped on mocktails as they rotated between stations to learn about our organization.

First on the docket is the Mass Impact Day of Service on September 26th, during which current members and alumni will participate in a cleanup of Look Park in Northampton. Our fall retreat is another highly anticipated event coming up on October 2nd,  which provides the perfect opportunity for member bonding combined with festive fall activities and food.

Of course, we can’t forget to mention UMass Homecoming Weekend, kicking off on October 16th this year with the nearly Naked Mile fun-run! This yearly tradition brings the campus community together for a good cause, with runners bringing clothing donations for the Amherst Survival Center. October 17th (game day!) begins with the homecoming parade. SAA members had so much fun decorating their float and riding in the parade last year that we have already started planning this year’s design.

We return to Memorial Hall tonight at 7pm for our first general body meeting and are looking forward to seeing what each member can bring to the group. Stay tuned throughout the semester for more updates on SAA happenings!

-Katie Lavery, SAA VP of PR and Communications