Crumbs do not magically disappear from the tables in the commuter lounge. Snacks do not sprout from the bottom of the basket that sits atop the communal microwave. The Keurig's water reservoir cannot refill itself. All of these humble tasks—and many more important ones—fall to student life administrator McKenzie Harbaugh, who doubles as 417 Hall's residence director.
Harbaugh, who began working at Evangel just this year, said her favorite part of the job is interacting with commuters. "It is literally built into my contract that I have to hang out with the commuters," said Harbaugh. "So that is my absolute favorite part [of working here]."
The art competition is an example of a "come-and-go" activity, something Harbaugh said the 417 Hall council often tries to implement. "We feel like if commuters aren't in class, they're probably just wanting to be home or maybe at work," said Harbaugh. "We like to plan things where you can come and just grab something and leave if you want to." Additionally, the week-long voting process for the art competition was intended to encourage commuters to mingle in the lounge.
Like contestant Julian Arnold, who was featured in the last post in this series, Harbaugh enjoyed seeing the creativity reflected in the commuters' art entries. "I really like the breadth of ideas that were painted," said Harbaugh. "It's really interesting to see what commuters value, and the different things that come to mind when they're asked to create an art piece."
The art competition was not only intended to be a creative exercise, however. Harbaugh explained that 417 Hall council thoughtfully plans commuter events to be convenient, fun and meaningful for busy students. "We really want to make sure that [commuters] feel appreciated without feeling like they have to over-commit to something," said Harbaugh. Amidst the stress of finals, Harbaugh hopes that commuters were able to unwind and bond over artwork.
The full interview with McKenzie Harbaugh is available on YouTube.
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