Twelve Oaks Reception Hall was rocking as the Southeastern Hall Council held an Oscar-themed prom on Wednesday, March 23.
Over 100 sharply dressed Southeastern students attended the dance, which was created to collect used prom dresses for The Cinderella Project, a non-profit organization that provides dresses for low-income students.
Resident Assistants (RA’s) encouraged their residents to attend, and several RA’s volunteered their time and talents at the event. Julianne Martin, a sophomore majoring in early childhood education and owner of True Light Photography, took professional photos all night long. John Goudeau, a junior majoring in management, provided DJ services.
“We had been talking about putting on a prom-type event since early November,” said Hall Council President Evan Buck. “However, this semester we really kicked things into gear, and we’re very happy to have the opportunity to provide Southeastern students with a fun activity to participate in.”
Students in attendance seemed equally pleased with the dance.
“I’m having a really great time,” said Fay Boudreaux, a recent Southeastern graduate. “I’ve been looking for an excuse to dress up and have a good time, and this was a great time to do it.”
Hall Council is a fairly new organization on campus comprised of resident assistants and residence hall students. They work to organize programs and activities for on-campus residents, though off-campus residents are also encouraged to attend.
“University Housing gives us a generous budget to put on whatever events we think would benefit the university,” said Heather Breecher, a junior majoring in social work. “We’re thrilled with how well this event went and our goal is to do one more event before the semester ends. With so many events being cancelled due to budget cuts, we feel like we can do good things for the on-campus community.”
The organization received nearly 50 donated dresses for The Cinderella Project at the prom event and are also collecting Mardi Gras beads to support OPTIONS, a local agency that provides services to people with developmental disabilities. Bead donations can be brought to the Housing Office located in Pride Hall.
“Our goal is not only to provide fun activities for students, but also to give back to the community,” said Hall Council Vice President Clara Hudson. “Whenever we brainstorm new ideas for activities, we try to keep both of these goals in mind.”
Students interested in joining Hall Council are encouraged to attend their meetings, which take place every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Zachary Taylor Hall.