Allie St. Jules

Last April, I received an email that I'd been waiting for since I joined Vassar College Enterainment (ViCE) the first week of my freshman year. Standing outside the library with Sarah Morrison '11, a girl I barely knew but (thanks to ViCE) from whom I would soon become inseparable, I read the email that said I'd been elected Director for my final year at Vassar. Sarah had been elected Assistant Director. Since that moment, I've come to realize two things about ViCE: it's a favorite topic of debate on this campus, and it will consume your entire life if given the chance. I'd be lying if I said that during especially difficult times I never questioned my decision to join ViCE, and I can remember several moments this year when I've asked myself: why did I get involved with such a frequently criticized organization? And why do I willingly give up my weekends to run events rather than attend them with everyone else? While it's true that I love a good argument and hate waiting on lines, the real answer to these questions is this: ViCE has the unique ability to provide its members with the most insane, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and these moments make everything else worthwhile. As a committee member in my freshman year, I was told that ViCE can do anything. As the outgoing Director four years later, I only now realize how true that statement is.

I've had some incredibly-absurd experiences thanks to ViCE: I've danced on stage with M.I.A., played the tambourine for Broken Social Scene, and nearly been crushed to death by the campus's collective love for Girl Talk. I've met many of my favorite artists, read some ridiculous riders, and listened to countless soundchecks. I've seen parties fill to capacity in record time, and seen others crumble in seconds (but that riot was averted). I've watched students dance like crazy to seemingly nothing more than the sound of torrential rain, and I've watched as friends developed into amazing DJ's. I've repeatedly spent 20 consecutive hours in the same place with the same people to set up and break down events. I've coiled more wires than I can count, and I still can't do it in a way that won't annoy the guys on the production crew. I've witnessed hundreds of my peers having some of the most unforgettable nights of their lives, and I've felt the satisfaction of knowing that I contributed to their memories of Vassar.

ViCE has also given me the opportunity to interact with some of the most intelligent, creative, and passionate students at this school. It's rare for a student organization to offer three to four events every week for the entire academic year, and it's definitely a tribute to the devotion ViCE members have towards entertaining their peers. It's never ceased to amaze me that even at four in the morning, after hours of working an event, they could still smile as they rolled those last speakers onto the production truck. It's a dedication that's impressed many artists and crews as well, and I'll never forget the pride I felt every time one of them commented on ViCE's remarkable professionalism and unyielding enthusiasm. These individuals have been a constant source of inspiration and laughter, and I'm so grateful to have had the chance to work with every single one of them. To my fellow outgoing members Sarah, Alejandro Calcaño, and Nora Lovotti- I couldn't have asked for a better trio to spend an obscene amount of my life with, and I want to thank you guys for making my last year with ViCE full of horrible puns and even worse food choices. I love you all.

I couldn't fully sum up with my experience with ViCE without mentioning a little group of people with whom I've become unhealthily obsessed. Terry Quinn, Mike Bodnarik, Michelle Ransom, Maureen King, and every member of Campus Activities, Security, Buildings and Grounds, and Fire Watch- I cannot express how appreciative I am of each and every one of you. We may say that ViCE is a student-run organization, but the truth is none of it would happen without your expertise and tireless dedication. Thank you for humoring us these past four years- it's been fun to see what we can get away with.

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a member of ViCE who would disagree that the organization is one of the most rewarding and worthwhile experiences to be had at Vassar. Even after four years, I find the creative freedom and encouragement we are given to be remarkable, and it will remain one of the things for which I am most thankful to Vassar. My experiences with ViCE may have come at the price of substantial hearing loss, but I'd never say it wasn't worth it.

—Allie St. Jules is the outgoing director of Vassar College Entertainment (ViCE).