Behind the scenes with the University Program Board

The University Program Board executive directors spent about 30 hours this weekend putting together the performance at the Convocation Center Saturday night. They also spent about three months preparing for the show.

UPB takes care of everything from security, hospitality and setting up the Convocation Center for the performance. Senior Stephanie Bishop, UPB director of hospitality, said her committee is in charge of catering for the band, the volunteers and the executive board. They also set up the dressing rooms and make sure the band’s accommodations are met.

The hospitality committee also is in charge of security for the group’s bus and their dressing rooms.

"We stand by the bus and backstage to make sure people don’t bother the band," said senior Becca Hindman, a member of the hospitality committee. "You don’t know everyone who is backstage and sometimes you have to ask to see people’s badges, even sometimes people that are in the band or with the band."

UPB’s Technical Services committee is in charge of loading the floor tiles, which protect the Convocation Center’s basketball court, said senior Kevyn Adams, director of technical services. The committee also is in charge of putting together the stage, the sound and light grid, the band’s equipment and the crowd barricade. It took the executive board members and all their volunteers seven hours to set up the stage.

UPB used more than 200 volunteers for Saturday’s show, said senior Merridith Remmert, director of membership. Students who volunteer to help during the show receive points for the work they do. They then can use points they earn toward free tickets to UPB events.

UPB’s media and public relations staff also plays a large part in putting together the performance. They work not only with the press from seven publications that attended the event, but also organize publicity around campus, said sophomore Jeremy Paredes, director of media and public relations.

Media and Public Relations sends out press releases and works with the UPB Street Team to create publicity for the show.

The staff also was in charge of the meet and greet with the band, which some students won through contests on campus, according to Paredes.

After completing Saturday’s concert, UPB now will begin to focus on its spring concert, Paredes said.