Braving the pestering mosquitos and humidity, hundreds of students gathered in the Watters’ lawn to watch “Avenger’s: Infinity War” on a massive blow-up movie screen this past Saturday. Students brought along blankets and pillows as they leisurely watched Marvel superheroes do Marvel superhero things, but while there was action happening on screen, the real action was happening off screen where the heroes of the Student Activities Council, an organization at Union, were working hard to make this event, and many others, run smoothly.
SAC is an organization at Union that prides itself on providing fun and entertaining events for students on campus. Whether it’s selling cotton candy (and providing corn hole, obviously) for incoming freshmen during the Welcome Week Fest or showing a movie on the lawn, SAC has a remarkable track record of promoting fun and unity at Union.
Members of SAC have an absolute blast not only connecting with students, but also connecting with other members. Abigail Johnson, president of SAC and junior music education major, can’t help but brag about how much she enjoys providing entertainment to students, but she admits that it’s the relationships that she’ll never forget.
“I joined my freshman year and it was instant family,” said Johnson. “Some of my best friends are from SAC, and some of my favorite memories from college are from SAC.”
SAC is the essence of serving others in a way that’s fun and life-giving. It’s one of those organizations at Union that sometimes goes unnoticed, but with a deeper look behind the scenes, it’s obvious that there’s a community of people who love each other and love what they do. New SAC advisor Jordan Hall believes SAC’s mission is accomplished when the community within its members overflows into the student body.
“It’s about creating community among students,” said Hall, whose entrance into the Union faculty this past June has brought a fresh energy to SAC. “Ideally, we want to create an atmosphere where students want to get to know each other. We all desire some level of community, and we want to help facilitate that.”
While the almost three-hour movie was filled with action and adventure, it was simply a catalyst for the relationships being formed on colorful blankets and a mosquito-filled night. Students were laughing, talking and forming friendships over something so simple, yet so intentional, because at the heart of it all, every SAC event is dedicated to furthering relationships and creating community at Union University.
For students interested in joining SAC, applications are available until Sept. 7.