Vassar College has over 130 VSA-certified organizations offering students opportunities to explore any interest at any level. Almost all organizations are completely founded and governed by students; and, whatever you are interested in—be it singing, finance, debate, writing, photography, activism, juggling, politics or the outdoors—bets are that Vassar has an organization for you. The following are descriptions of many of the major student organizations on campus.
ACT OUT!
ACT OUT! is a Vassar student organization that aims to encourage active participation in the national movement to end Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) oppression and discrimination worldwide. “Most of us originally joined ACT OUT! because we felt passionate about the goals it was working towards—the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ marriage equality in New York and employment non-discrimination laws,” explained ACT OUT! President Casey Katims ’10. “If our generation doesn’t start demanding equal rights, who will?
Members of ACT OUT! meet every other week to discuss upcoming events and activities on and off campus. Each semester, ACT OUT typically plans at least one off-campus event—in the past, the group has held protests in New York City and lobby visits to legislatures in Albany. The organization is currently planning a trip to Washington DC in October to participate in the first-ever National march for Equality. “It’s going to be a defining moment in the LGBTQ movement for civil rights, and we’re excited about bringing Vassar students into the fight,” said Katims.
Students can e-mail ACT OUT! Presidents Katims and Leslie Hamilton ’10 at cakatims@vassar.edu and lehamilton@vassar.edu.
AirCapella
AirCappella doesn’t sing—they whistle. One of the only all-whistling a cappella groups in the world, AirCappella was founded in 2005 by three sophomores who wanted to “poke some fun at the a cappella scene on campus,” explained Lead Pitch Sadie Burzan ’11.
AirCappella rehearses two to three hours each week and performs at various campus events and concerts throughout the year, culminating in a final concert. “We arrange and perform all sorts of songs,” said Burzan, “from Madonna to the Beatles, Michael Jackson to the Postal Service.” In addition to performing on campus, AirCappella also attends the International Whistlers’ Convention in Louisburg, North Carolina, every two years, and, last spring, the group was invited to audition in front of David Hasslehoff, Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan for America’s Got Talent in New York City.
Students can e-mail Burzan at saburzan@vassar.edu. At the start of the 2009-10 year, there will be an a cappella preview show, during which all a cappella groups on campus will perform and offer sign-up sheets for auditions.
Barefoot Monkeys
“At the most basic level,” said Barefoot Monkeys President Stacey Kigner ’10, “the purpose of the Barefoot Monkeys is to bring the world of the circus arts to the Vassar community through learning and performance—but beyond that we’re pretty much just a happy-go-lucky group of people.”
Throughout the year, the Barefoot Monkeys perform circus acts, juggling and fire-spinning. The group meets to practice twice a week on the quad and has “fire practices” every Friday.
Students interested in the Barefoot Monkeys can contact Kigner at stkigner@vassar.edu or follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bfmplaytime.
Camerata
Camerata is an entirely student-run, combined choir and orchestra performing works of Baroque and early music from composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Handel and similar artists. “Alongside the harpsichord and continuo, the group explores the ways in which our instruments can achieve a blended, baroque sound, while raising our own musical awareness,” explained Orchestral Director and violinist Emily Bookwalter ’10. Members of Camerata are obligated to rehearse weekly to prepare for a full concert held at the end of each semester.
Instrumentalists interested in Camerata can e-mail Bookwalter at embookwalter@vassar.edu, and vocalists can reach Choral Director Nick Rocha ’11 at nirocha@vassar.edu.
CHOICE
CHOICE works to support Vassar students’ physical and emotional health by promoting an open environment for the discussion of sex and sexuality on campus. “I personally joined at the beginning of my freshmen year, because I was excited about keeping the campus safe and helping to create a comfortable atmosphere surrounding sex and sexuality,” explained current CHOICE President Katie Interlichia ’11. The organization hosts weekly meetings, has bi-annual open houses and brings speakers to Vassar’s campus to discuss subjects relating to sexual health.
For more information about CHOICE, e-mail choice@vassar.edu or visit the CHOICE office in the basement of Jewett House.
Council of Black Seniors
The Council of Black Seniors (CBS) is an organization offering pre-professional services and hosting social and cultural events on campus that reflect the diversity of the senior class. “I joined [CBS] my freshman year at Vassar,” said CBS President Dyana Boxley ’10. “it was the best decision I could have made. I felt that it would further connect me to the seniors of color and the entire student of color community at Vassar.”
CBS was founded in October 1990, “after numerous discussions with the Senior Class Council regarding representation,” explain Boxley. “Several Black students found it necessary to form an organization geared towards addressing the particular cultural needs of the student of color community in their pivotal period of transition during senior year, with Senior Week and Graduation as its focus.”
While CBS is primarily responsible for creating events for the senior class in particular the organization does sponsor events throughout the year available to the entire College community. “This past year,” said Boxley, “we hosted Vassar’s Best Dance Crew, where Vassar students created dance crews and competed for a prize and the chance to be crowned Vassar’s Best Dance Crew. It was an incredibly successful event and drew one of the biggest crows I’d seen all semester.”
For more information about CBS, e-mail councilofblackseniors@gmail.com.
Helicon
The official mission statement of Helicon is as follows: "Helicon is an organization whose purpose is to serve the needs and expand the creative voice of Vassar’s literary and art community.” The organization publishes an annual literary magazine featuring fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, artwork, photography, essays and plays by Vassar students. In addition to the publication of their magazine, Helicon also hosts events throughout the year, such as writing workshops and a Scrabble tournament
Helicon was named after Mount Helicon, a Grecian mountain, which—according to Greek mythology—was sacred to the Muses, the goddesses said to inspire creativity and art. “I originally joined Helicon my freshman year,” said Editor in Chief Amy Seslowsky ’10. “As a writer, I wanted to be a bigger part of the Vassar writing community and help others get their art and writing ‘out there.’
Helicon meets Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the Raymond House basement to read and discuss the week’s submissions and upcoming events. “The object of discussion,” explained Seslowsky, “is to give constructive criticism and praise—we’re not here to bash or laugh at others’ work.”
For more information about Helicon, or to submit work to the magazine for consideration, email helicon@vassar.edu or attend a meeting.
Investment Club
The Investment Club is an organization which aims to give students interested in finance a place to discuss economic news and practice investment skills in a safe environment before they hit Wall Street. “When I joined,” said current Acting President Danny McBee '10, “I didn’t know a whole lot about finance, and I wanted to learn more about investing in a relaxed environment.
McBee explained that especially with last year’s economic downturn, the Investment Club has become increasingly relevant and active. “Our club has really focused on informed discussion of current events on Wall Street in the last few months,” said McBee.
The Investment Club holds meetings three times each month—each culminating in a quarterly report, divided by industry and summarizing noteworthy events in the current market—and, for the first time last year, they held their own portfolio contest. “It was really interesting to see the different investment strategies of our members and other people on campus as they played out over the spring,” said McBee. “It’s something we plan on doing again.”
For more information about the Investment Club, e-mail vassarinvestmentclub@gmail.com.
Mahagonny Ensemble
The Mahagonny Ensemble is Vassar's only student-run contemporary music group, performing classical music written within the last 100 years and also commissioning new works from student composers. The Ensemble was founded in 2000 by a group of students who wanted to perform a piece of contemporary music by Kurt Weill called the ‘Mahagonny Songspiel.’ After they performed the operetta in Matthew’s Mug, the group stayed together and took their name from the title of their debut performance.
“Our goal,” said Mahagonny Music Director Mark Van Hare ’10, “is to bring to Vassar a small taste of the many wonderful things happening in new classical music.” The Ensemble is divided into the Mahagonny Choir and the Mahagonny Orchestra, with each group meeting once each week to rehearse for that semester’s concert.
“The wonderful thing about the Ensemble,” said Van Hare, “is that players are recruited for specific pieces, rather than to Mahagonny as a whole. This way, our players are only required to come to rehearsals and concerts and they can choose what sort of piece they'd like to perform in.”
For more information about the Mahagonny Ensemble, e-mail Van Hare at mavandare@vassar.edu or visit the main office in the Skinner Hall of Music.
Moderate, Independent, Conservative Alliance
Founded during the 2002-03 academic year, MICA is a student organization aiming to further moderate, independent, conservative and libertarian thought and dialogue at Vassar. "As a conservative student at Vassar," explained MICA President Jeremy Bright '11, "I joined MICA during my freshman year, primarily because I found it intellectually stimulating. However, the organization is far from politically homogeneous; I am continually impressed by the broad spectrum of centrist and right-of-center views that our members hold, which serves to make MICA a vibrant and vital Vassar organization," said Bright.
MICA members meet every Monday at 9 p.m. in the Josselyn House Parlor; in addition to their weekly meetings, MICA often has group dinners, hosts social events and performs campus acitivism. "For example," said Bright, "we recently tabled for John McCain in the College Center during the Presidental election and successfully organized the Keep Coke campaign."
For more information about MICA, contact MICA President Jeremy Bright '11 at jebright@vassar.edu.
The Miscellany News
The Miscellany News has been Vassar College’s newspaper of record since 1866, just five years after the College’s founding. Distributed each week on Thursday morning and published online daily, the Miscellany reports all major campus issues—administrative decisions, student government, academic policies, student activities—as well as on the weekly happenings of the College. The paper meets weekly for a paper critique on Sunday at 9 p.m. in the Rose Parlor and welcomes all students to be involved in any capacity.
Night Owls
Founded in the 1940s, the Night Owls are the oldest a cappella group on in the history of the College. According to Lead Pitch Kay Hautea ’10, the group began when “a polio epidemic struck the school, and the girls were quarantined to their bedrooms. Hope and music was scarce, but a small group of intrepid musically inclined women would not let dorm arrest silence them,” said Haueta. “They snuck out into the night, dressed all in black, to sing a cappella numbers to their ailing classmates.” Following the story of their founding, the Night Owls now dress in all black for each performance to commemorate the charter group of women.
Today, the Owls perform a variety of music ranging from classic jazz to 90s dance songs and host concerts throughout the year, culminating in a final concert. In addition to their own on-campus concerts, the Night Owls also travel to perform off-campus and host other a cappella groups at Vassar. “One of the best moments of the year,” said Haueta, “happened during a concert where we hosted the Kingsmen, an all-male group from Columbia University.”
Students interested in the Night Owls can e-mail nightowls@vassar.edu. At the start of the 2009-10 year, there will be an a cappella preview show, during which all a cappella groups on campus will perform and offer sign-up sheets for auditions.
No Offense
Originally founded in the 80s under the name “Laughing Stock,” No Offense is a sketch comedy team. “We basically just sit around and have a laugh,” explained No Offense President Tom Stevenson ’10. “Our meetings aren’t very efficient because we spend too much time chatting, but over the course of a few weeks, we always manage to knock up a number of sketches, argue over them, cast them and put together a sketch comedy show.”
No Offense performs four fill-length sketch and video shows per year and makes appearances at benefits and various events throughout the year, such as the Comedy Preview Show held at the start of each year, when all the comedy groups on campus perform their work. “We got an excellent reception at the Comedy Preview Show,” said Stevenson. “The place was packed—rows of people were on the floor—and our sketches went over really well.”
For more information, e-mail No Offense Presidents Stevenson and Andi Sharavsky ’11 at thstevenson@vassar.edu and ansharavsky@vassar.edu.
No Such Organization
No Such Organization (NSO) is an umbrella group for those interested in gaming, science fiction, fantasy and anime. “The NSO embraces members of every deekdom and fandom,” explained NSO President Suzanne Rozier ’10.
NSO members meet weekly for dinner, to watch television or play games—and, throughout the year, the organization hosts gaming weekends, television showings and several campus-wide events, such as their very own production of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and NonCon, a three-day gaming and comics convention held on campus.
“My favorite thing about last year was definitely NonCon,” said Rozier. “Our guest of honor was the renowned comics scholar, Scott McCloud, and we also had events like video game tournaments, student panels, anime screenings and a dealer's room. Every year NonCon gets bigger and bigger, so I am really looking forward to next year's convention.”
Students interested in NSO can e-mail Rozier at surozier@vassar.edu.
Operation Donation
Operation Donation was founded in 2003 by Vassar alum and former VSA President Jimmy Kelly '09, who began the organization in high school and brought it to Vassar as a freshman. OpDon—as it is sometimes referred to—works to fight poverty on a local, national and global level, following their mantra of "Think Global Act Local" through canvassing and hosting food drives and various fundraising events on and off campus. "The group began by cutting coupons," explained Operation Donation President Lindsey Andon '12, "Eventually they moved on to more efficient fundraising methods, such as running food drives. Today, the organization continues to grow." Last spring, the organization raised a record $100,000 for its cause. "It was incredible," said Andon.
Members of the organization meet weekly for about an hour to plan out upcoming events. "Since the meetings are casual and involve discussion," explained Andon, "everyone is able to contribute their ideas. It is a great way to meet new people with similar interests. The reason I truly decided to return week after week was the people."
Students interested in Operation Donation can reach Andon by e-mail at liandon@vassar.edu.
PEACE
Promoting Equality and Community Everywhere (PEACE) is an organization with chapters at high schools and institutions of higher education worldwide. At Vassar, students involved with PEACE serve as mentors for local elementary school children from different parts of Poughkeepsie, helping them “generate friendships with pen pals who may be of a different race, social class or background,” explained PEACE President Kelly Long ’11. “After a year of writing back and forth to each other, the kids finally get to meet in person for a day of fun and games on campus.”
“The kids are definitely the reason I joined PEACE,” said Long. “It’s amazing to watch open-mindedness and friendship come out of something as innocent as writing to a pen pal. There’s also something very cathartic about jumping into a room full of seven-year-olds after a long week of demanding class work. All they want from you is an hour, a hug, and the occasional hint on how to spell a word.”
Interested students can contact Long at kelong@vassar.edu.
Philaletheis Society
In 1865—the year the College admitted and opened its gates to 365 young women—students formed their first extracurricular organization, the Philaletheis Society. Since its founding, the organization has evolved overtime from its first form, a literary society, to a umbrella organization for all student activities, to the group’s most recent form, Vassar's primary student production company, providing students with the opportunity to efficiently produce dramatic works of art.
“I wanted an opportunity to do theatre that is completely produced, designed and performed by students,” explained Philaletheis Society President Elizabeth London ’10. While the group meets as a general body at least twice a semester, most of the “group involvement happens through working on shows—whether wish design, directing, management, acting or writing,” said London. “Lots of smaller meetings that happen when you are involved with a show.”
“Something I loved last year,” said London, “was a special event that a freshman proposed called “Afternoon on a Hill.” The event was a performance of poems by Vassar alumna Edna St. Vincent Millay acted at the orchard by Sunset Lake. “It was original, beautifully done and had real representation from the freshman class,” said London.
For more information about the Philaletheis Society, e-mail ellondon@vassar.edu or see the entry on Philaletheis in the Vassar Encyclopedia.
PHOCUS
PHOCUS provides an outlet for student photographers—regardless of age, major or experience—to use the Vassar darkroom and practice and experiment with photography. “We want to be able to showcase everyone’s talents,” said Erica Hersh ’10.
The organization hosts bi-weekly meetings and works throughout the year to host a photography showing in the Faculty Commons and publish Fix, its annual magazine—both of which are comprised of submissions and work from Vassar students.
Those interested in PHOCUS, student photography or gaining access to the darkroom can e-mail phocus.vassar@gmail.com.
Quidditch Team
The Quidditch Team aims to provide an opportunity to be active and have fun to those Vassar students who do not want to be on a varsity team and who have read and enjoyed the series of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books—or, as co-captain David Bridgman-Packer ’12 said, “for those who feel that the only sports for them involve running around on brooms.”
“I always played sports in high school,” said co-captain Daniel Bossert ’12, “and I was always a huge fan of Harry Potter, so, when I heard that Vassar had a Quidditch team, I knew I had found the perfect activity for me.”
For more information about the Quidditch team, e-mail Bridgman-Packer at dabridgmanpacker@vassar.edu.
Shared Bike Program
Beginning as the Class of 2009 Sophomore Class Gift, the Shared Bike Program is now an organization providing the student body wa fleet of bikes for the student body that can be used for recreation or transportation around campus and to other local destinations. For a deposit of $10, students will receive a key that will give them access to any of the bikes from the program—at the end of the year, you can return your key and receive your $10 back.
If you’re looking for the bikes on campus, you can spot them by their bright pink coloring—“it is rumored that Vassar security officers colloquially refer to the pink bikes as ‘flamingos,’” said President of the Shared Bike Program Paul Misak ’11.
The group holds weekly meetings to discuss and work on improving the program and its services. “I think the most exciting development the Shared Bike Program,” said Misak, “was the formulation of a local sponsorship program, which aims to add more bikes to the fleet by seeking out funding from local businesses.”
Students interested in the Shared Bike Program can e-mail sharedbikes@vassar.edu. The Program will also be tabling in the College Center towards the beginning of the year to distribute keys for the bikes.
UnBound
UnBound is Vassar’s political and experimental theatre group. “We are a completely student-run production board committed to presenting progressive and meaningful works,” explained UnBound President Stephanie Mischell ’12.
“UnBound was one of the first organizations I joined at the beginning of freshman year,” said Mischell. “I had done theater in high school, but was attracted to UnBound’s philosophy of using performance arts to experiment and give voices to the voiceless.”
For more information about UnBound, e-mail stmischell@vassar.edu.
Vassar Christian Fellowship
The Vassar Christian Fellowship (VXF) is a student organization for those interested in exploring, investigating and discussing spirituality and Christianity. All members of VXF meet weekly at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays in the College Center Multi-Purpose Room, and, throughout the week, members also meet in smaller groups read and discuss scripture. In addition, the VXF “will be having forums twice a month designed for anyone to come and discuss foundational issues about life such as our purpose, identity, value and meaning,” said VXF President Ming Tseng ’10.
The VXF also travels off campus for services at several local churches and to take their annual trip through the local Corn Maze. “This past semester, the VXF also attended two 80s Nights at [Matthew’s] Mug for some good, clean and incredibly silly dancing. We will definitely be making this into a tradition,” said Tseng.
For more information about VXF, e-mail vxf@vassar.edu.
Vassar College Entrepreneurs Club
The Vassar College Entrepreneurs Club (VCEC) is an organization for students wishing to cultivate an understanding of economics, finance, entrepreneurship and investment on campus. “Our goal is to provide all interested students with a forum to exchange ideas and opinions,” explained President of VCEC Hongzhen Huang ’11, “and also to exchange ideas and opinions and learn how to apply knowledge of entrepreneurship and finance in practice ways.”
For the past three years, VCEC has participated in the Dutchess County Business Competition, something for which members of the organization prepare throughout the year. “Business Competition committee members brainstorm their creative business ideas, develop skills for writing and presenting business plans and represent VCEC to participate in the final competition,” said Huang.
Last year—in addition to preparing for the Business Competition—the VCEC held its first annual VASSART, an art sale “aimed at creating a platform to sell Vassar artists’ paintings, jewelry, t-shirts and music,” said Huang.
Students interested in VCEC can contact Huang at hohuang@vassar.edu.
Vassar Filmmakers
The Vassar Filmmakers organization provides an opportunity for students—regardless of year or major—to make or work on films, supplying not only quality camera, sound and lighting equipment, but also the guidance and advice for making successful pictures.
“I joined the Filmmakers two years ago,” said Filmmaker’s President Kyle Porter ’10. “That was the first year of operation. The Filmmakers provided me with the equipment I need and the encouragement to make the film I wanted. Since then, I have worked with many of the other club members on various narrative, documentary, experimental and commercial projects that have broadened my knowledge of filmmaking in all its forms,” said Porter.
Though the Filmmakers have regular meetings and screenings throughout the year, their most notable events comes as the end of the final semester, when they host a film screening during which all of the Vassar Filmmakers projects are showcased. “Next year,” said Porter, “we hope to organize more workshops for club members and to start a 24-hour film festival open to the whole campus.”
In addition to their screenings, the Filmmakers work to bring influential filmmakers to campus—last year Albert Maysles visited—and also to travel off campus as a group to special events. “Though it was not technically a Vassar Filmmakers film shoot,” said Porter, “11 members of the Vassar Filmmakers traveled to Texas for a week last April to participate in the filming of ‘Shoot the Sky Productions' Death Ranch.’ I was a boom operator during this shoot, and I learned a lot from the professional sound recordist I was working with. We all had a lot of fun during the production.”
Students interested in the Vassar Filmmakers can e-mail Porter at kyporter@vassar.edu.
Vassar Improv
Vassar Improv is the only improvised comedy group on campus, performing one weekend of shows each month “in order to increase the amount of hilarity on campus,” explained Improv President Chris Root ’10. “We rehearse twice a week and hangout a lot. If you’re not looking for friendship,” said Root, “this probably isn’t the group for you.”
In addition to performing regularly on campus, Improv also travels to comedy festivals and other college campuses to perform and hosts an annual show called Matt Carey Comedy Night. “An amazing group of alumnae/i comes to perform. It’s always one of our best shows on campus,” said Root.
For more information about Vassar Improv, e-mail Root at chroot@vassar.edu or attend the preview comedy show in September.
Vassar Jewish Union
The Vassar Jewish Union (VJU) is an organization for Jewish students of all denominations and backgrounds. “We provide Vassar students with the ability to be a part of a Jewish community at their home away from home,” said VJU President Jordana Cohen ’10.
The VJU has weekly Friday night services, meals, Saturday morning bagel brunches and a regular education program. “I think that my favorite thing the VJU did last year was the variety of interfaith programming we had. It promoted understanding, acceptance and open-mindedness in a wonderful way,” said Cohen.
Students can e-mail Cohen at jocohen@vassar.edu or attend the VJU Ice Cream Social during Freshman Orientation Week.
Vassar Outing Club
The Vassar Outing Club (VOC) makes it its mission to get Vassar students off campus and outside, enjoying the surrounding Hudson Valley. This year, the organization will offer opportunities to climb, boulder, hike, snowshoe, ski, raft and even skydive. No experience is needed to participate in VOC trips or activities—which are all student-led. “Our trips get students off the Vassar campus and keep me sane throughout the hectic semester,” said VOC President Nadine Reitman ’10.
“A classic [VOC] trip is the sunrise hike,” explained Reitman. “We leave campus before dawn, drive out to Bonticou crag and hit the summit just as the sun rises over the Hudson Valley below—doughnuts and coffee included.” In addition to off-campus outings, VOC also hosts an on-campus event in September called Lakefest, an all-day festival with free music, food and canoeing on Sunset Lake.
For more information on the VOC, e-mail Reitman at nareitman@vassar.edu.
Vassarion
The Vassarion is the official Vassar yearbook. Founded in the mid-19th century, the Vassarion is published each spring, commemorating the graduates and notable events of that year. “The Vassarion is a great way to capture a part of Vassar’s history so future students can look back at Vassar traditions,” said Vassarion editor Shannon Wilton ’10.
The Vassarion does not hold mandatory weekly meetings; instead members meet in the beginning of the year to divide responsibilities—after that, the editor meets with each section’s members periodically.
Students interested in the Vassarion can e-mail Wilton at shwilton@vassar.edu.
Vastards
“The Vastards is a coed a cappella group that sings the pop songs that loved—or loved to hate—in middle school,” explained Pitch Leader Sam Fleming ’10. “Most of our repertoire is from the 80s and 90s, with a few songs from after the millennium.”
The Vastards—admitted by audition at the beginning of the year—have two-hour rehearsals three times each week and perform often throughout the year. “It’s definitely a serious commitment,” said Fleming, “and we like to get a lot done during each rehearsal, but it’s also just a chance to hang out with who people who become some of your closest friends at Vassar.”
In addition to traveling to and singing with another college each semester, the Vastards also set aside one weekend to have a “Vastards Retreat.” “It’s always fun to hang out with the people in the group outside of rehearsal,” said Fleming, “where we’re not necessarily thinking about what we have to prepare for next. We are all very passionate about music and like to sound good, but we definitely know how to have fun, too.”
For more information about the Vastards, students can e-mail Fleming at safleming@vassar.edu or visit the Vastards’ website at http://vsa.vassar.edu/~vastards. In addition, at the start of the 2009-10 year, there will be an a cappella preview show, during which all a cappella groups on campus will perform and offer sign-up sheets for auditions.
ViCE
One of the largest and most active student organizations on campus, Vassar College Entertainment (ViCE) is responsible for organizing the majority of entertainment available on campus for Vassar students. “We put on a wide range of events,” said ViCE President Peter Denny ’10, “from film screenings, themed DJ dance parties, comedian performances, student musician shows, to large scale music events like out recent Beirut, Broken Social Scene and MIA concerts. Our main goal is to provide a diverse array of entertainment—always free to Vassar students—that meets the students’ needs.”
With the exception of one administrative advisor, ViCE is completely student-run, “giving Vassar students the opportunity to be involved in the complete organization and execution of a wide range of entertainment events,” said Denny.
There are seven ViCE committees, each meeting weekly: Music, Film, Publicity, Special Events, Jazz After Hours and NoViCE, an off-shoot of ViCE sponsoring lesser-known acts. “As for events,” explained Denny, “some committees have weekly concerts they are responsible for, whereas others have less frequent events but ones that require more time to plan, like our bigger music shows and dance parties. Overall we had around 90 events last year.”
“What's best,” continued Denny, “is that plenty of people probably had never even heard of Deerhunter before they found out we were bringing them [to campus], but because we really put in a lot of effort to publicize the show, hundreds of students showed up and had a great time.”
For more information about ViCE, e-mail vice@vassar.edu or reach Denny at pedenny@vassar.edu.
Woodshed Theater Ensemble
The Woodshed Theater Ensemble is a student-run collaborative theatre ensemble that generates full-length productions throughout the academic year, ranging from Shakespearean comedies to contemporary dramas, with members working in design, direction and acting. The ensemble holds two-hour rehearsals five or four days each week.
“I joined Woodshed in the spring of my freshman year,” said current President Hannah Gold ’10. “I had seen their production of ‘The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek’ by Naomi Wallace in the fall and was amazed at the grace and heart it exuded.”
For more information, students can e-mail woodshedtheaterensemble@gmail.com or attend their open rehearsals in the fall.
WVKR
What began as a twice-a-week, 15-minute broadcast on WGNY in 1938 grew into Vassar’s very own radio station. WVKR now broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and its programming now includes shows put together by students and programs created by members of the greater Vassar community.
For more information about WVKR, e-mail Nick Marmet at nimarmet@vassar.edu.
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