Group work and Leadership are prominent components in ATLAS, and many students search for opportunities outside of their studies to express this. One of the avenues they look towards is board years, where they take part in the running of an association.
Since the start of the study, it seems that a proportionately high number of ATLAS students have adopted positions in association boards. The exact nature of the association and position varies wildly. Some have been on the board of sports associations, others gravitate towards the arts. Some have worked as heads of external relations for these clubs, others have been chairs. Today we’re looking towards two ATLAS students who are currently board. We talk to Natasha, the treasurer of our own student association Atlantis, and Fabian, the secretary for the board of Arabesque.
Natasha Briari starts with some of the responsibilities the new board has had to take on: “We were around during the Kick-In to welcome the first years and get them acquainted with not just Atlantis, but also their ATLAS studies… We're busy with the education aspect of the year and are devising a better structure for giving and receiving feedback. We're also looking for ways to make the Aquarium a bit jazzier. There will be a lot more students around this year, and we want to make the Aquarium feel welcome to everybody.” Becoming board is a large time commitment, but the motivation is clear: “The programme is a challenging one, it makes sense to try to make people’s lives easier. I want to give back to the community. I love how we support each other.”
Fabian Peri joined the board of Arabesque. Last year as his personal pursuit, he choreographed a performance with this association: “I like being useful to Arabesque, to contribute to an association that I’ve gotten to really appreciate.” As a secretary, his work is mostly administrative, maintaining member data, answering emails and such, but he also notes that the board is still transitioning: “Currently I’m preparing for the GA, with a board vision, what we’re going to do. At some point, the board will also set up and monitor the committees… My biggest responsibility for this year is that these members actually feel like members of an association, rather than they’re just learning modern dance.”
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