Come one, Come all… Join the Movement, FTK

As UADM’s year-long fundraiser has finished and a new year is approaching, the staff interviews will soon begin. To allow UA students an understanding of the different sectors, this blog has been created to help explain what each sector does year-round for the organization. UADM hopes to reach students all over campus who are interested in being on staff and give them insight into each sector and positions that fall under them.
    This year, there are 6 main sectors: Marketing, Operations, Involvement, Outreach, Partnerships and Finance. There are so many opportunities for involvement, and we can’t wait to see you on staff!
 
MARKETING

Vice President: Sonny Franks
Job Highlights: The highlight of being VP of Marketing is getting to watch all of my committee members' creative ideas blossom into campaigns throughout the year. There is nothing cooler than helping my team try something new and watching it take off!
What do you do during the main event? During the Main Event, I work with the media in attendance to ensure that they get the shots and interviews that they need. I also oversee my other committees to ensure that everyone is able to get everything done that they need to.
Favorite memories related to your sector? There are probably too many favorite moments to count. This is such a rewarding job! ... But if I had to pick just one, I would say the moment I remembered to check our Snapchat geofilter analytics from the main event. We had never used geofilters at the event before this year and our creative team had put a ton of time into developing more than a dozen to be used throughout the main. It totally slipped my mind to even check on the geofilters' analytics until a couple days after the event during an executive board meeting. When I saw how many people had even seen our event through a Snapchat story, I burst into tears. It was such a weird little thing in the grand scheme of things, but it really brought me a lot of closure and made the fact that the main event was over and we had raised $340,001.17 feel so much more real.
How many directors do you have? There are three directors under the VP of Marketing: Creative, Media and Public Relations.


Data Tracking (Formerly called Insights)
Directors: Kay Prince and Margaret Tiedt
Job Highlights:  We take a deep look into UADM social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and our website.  Next year, this position will be similar, being in charge of tracking social media and financial impact.
What do you do during the main event? During the main event, the insights (data tracking team) is in charge of tracking data on our social media and picking out active posts, and putting them into a slide show for DJ Tommy Scott to post once an hour to encourage engagement.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? Our favorite memory this year is during miracle mania, it was inspiring to track how much money we raised.  
How many directors are under you? Margaret and I are both directors and then there is one more person under us.

Media
Director: Catherine May
Job Highlights: The media committee is in charge of all photo and video content released by UADM. This includes creatively documenting all of our events throughout the year, helping select gathered media from past events to promote future events, and creating powerful videos to share our organization’s mission and importance. A large amount of our content we continue to repurpose throughout the year is created at our annual photo shoot at the hospital, where we spend a day with all of the miracle kids that are able to come, shooting themed and candid videos and pictures, and interview both the kids and their parents.
What do you do during the main event? We run around like crazy people with cameras documenting all of the funny, touching, and impactful moments you wonderful people help create (both through photo and video).
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? This year we were able to produce seven videos showcasing our miracle kids and their families for the video-driven So They Can campaign. Personally I enjoyed getting to talk with each child, and share what is so uniquely beautiful about each of them with the rest of our campus and related people.
How many directors are under you? None (so far), but I have an incredible team of four staff members!


Creative
Director: Isabella Rivera
Job Highlights: Bonding and expressing our love for the kids via graphic design.
What do you do during the main event? During the main event creative works closely with the social media team, updating graphics and providing content. Creatives are fortunate enough to immerse themselves in all day of activities, particularly, selling merchandise.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? My favorite memory of this year had to have been the meeting we had before LSU week because we all just were bouncing ideas off each other for about 3 hours. There were so many graphics to complete, but at the end of the day we made it happen and you really got to everyone’s creative style in each graphic made. This was such an invaluable experience for us creatives due to the limited timeline, variety of graphics and peer collaboration.  
How many directors are under you?
There are 3 AD’s under this position: Assistant Director of Merch Design, Assistant Director of Website Management, Assistant Director of Promotional Material

Public Relations
Director: Meghan Poljak
Job Highlights: We are always in the loop. We get to be creative and share why we love dance marathon with everyone through social media, blogs and contacting the media. We cover and market events, and we even get to participate in the annual Miracle Children photoshoot! We cover all social media outlets including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Pinterest.
What do you do during the main event?  The staff members over social media will capture all main event highlights and share them with the public. The staff members over media relations are charged with covering the event. They get quotes and talk to attendees, really diving into what this event means to them.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? My favorite memory definitely has to be the Miracle Family photoshoot. We got a one-on-one meeting with the Miracle Children and their families. It reiterated for me why we dance. Covering that event was also such a blast, the kids were dressing up and eating cupcakes and coloring, just genuinely having fun.    
How many directors are under you? I have two Assistant Directors. One for social media (Assistant Director of Social Media)  and one for media relations (Assistant Director of Press/Media Relations)

OPERATIONS

Vice President: Jack Ebersold
Job Highlights: Being able to oversee all of the major operations and tasks that go into making UADM function as efficiently as possible.
What do you do during the main event? During the main event I pretty much oversee the event space and make sure that everything is running smoothly between Morale, transitions, Entertainment, and various other activities throughout the day like the inflatable room and making sure every committee has everything they need to execute their tasks.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? My favorite moment was probably seeing the Ferg get transformed during work week into our main event space. It was awesome to see our whole staff come together and do something really special
How many directors are under you?
6 individual directors including (1) Director of Event Coordination/Logistics; (1) Director of Membership Development; (2) Morale Directors; (2) Entertainment Directors.

Event Coordination/Logistics
Director: Fiona Coupe
Job Highlights:  We get to work hard at making other committees dreams come true. Our job is to navigate the rules of UA and secure the proper permits necessary to have events. From taping someone to a wall, to having slides by the Ferg, to chalkings around campus, we do it all.
What do you do during the main event? In relation to the main event we create the event layout! Our responsibility is to make sure we have sufficient rooms to satisfy all the needs of different committees.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? My favorite memory was $100 day when we taped Dr. Sterritt to the wall! The idea was a little out there, but being able to secure the permission to have the event and seeing it happen was amazing.
How many directors are under you? Currently there are none, but that is subject to change.


Membership Development
Director: Caroline Prichard
Job Highlights: We run Miracle Points, send out staff newsletters, do member recognition at full staff and plan other educational and bonding activities for staff.
What do you do during the main event? We help manage the entire staff’s day of schedules before the event! On the day of, we are mainly just participating and working tables as staff.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? My favorite memory was setting up the $100 day room in the Ferg. We stayed there all day and watched everyone get excited and the donations roll in!
How many directors are under you?
I have 3 assistant directors- Member Education, Miracle Points, and Staff Development!

Morale
Directors: Jackson Spradlin and Sara Mond
Job Highlights: We plan all of the games, activities, and events that occur during the 12-hour main event. We create the line dance music as well as the dance to teach to Miracle Makers during the event.
What do you do during the main event?  Our committee is in charge of keeping everyone actively engaged, fundraising, and participating in activities.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? Our committee raised over $17,000 of the $50,000 on $100 day. This made us insanely happy and proud since it was only three days after bringing on our committee members.
How many directors are under you?
We have 12 color captains who are technically serving in assistant director positions.

Entertainment
Co-Directors: Tommy Scott and Caroline Builta
Job Highlights: Getting to serve as the host/MC for the main event and for CB: Being involved in campus outreach and helping make the main event a special day for all involved via performing groups
What do you do during the main event? We serve as the productions manager for lights, sound and video. We serve as the stage manager and serve as the DJ/MC. For CB: we schedule all of the guest performances for the day of and assist with anything they need.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector?: After the Miracle kids tell their story, we always let them pick out a song. This really makes a difference for them and is a moment that is really touching for everyone.  For CB: My favorite event related to my sector was probably the DMing the DJs event, as well as getting to have Riptide and No Strings Attached perform at DM.
How many directors are under you?: None just yet, but there are seven committee members.




CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

Vice President: Ashley Rich
Job Highlights: Getting to work with all areas of campus and different groups through the recruitment, special events and alumni and faculty relations committees
What do you during the main event? Oversee that different parts of the day are running smoothly and make sure that any campus partners we have are pleased with their experience.
Favorite memory or moment in the year related to your sector: Successful execution of the “All DM Day Event” and seeing campus get so excited about our message on $100 day
How many directors are there under you? We currently have four Assistant Directors::
Recruitment, Special Events, Alumni and Faculty Relations, and First Year Committee (Promoted in the Fall)


Faculty and Alumni Relations
Director: Jennie Kriznik
Job Highlights: We contact faculty and try to get them to endorse our organization, offer extra credit to students for attending our events, and encourage their students to sign up to be Miracle Makers and come to our main event.
What do you do during the main event?We are hosting a Hospitality Room for any faculty and alumni that come to the event. Faculty and Alumni families, Loves representatives and hospital representatives are also invited to join us.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? Taping Dr. Sterritt to a wall was definitely the highlight of this past year.
How many directors are under you? We currently have three Assistant Directors:
Faculty Relations, UA Alumni Relations, UADM Alumni Relations

Recruitment
Director: Emma Clements
Job Highlights: We are in charge of reaching out to the students at UA to inform them on what UADM is, as well as how to register for the main event. We are broken down into several subcommittees: Individual recruitment, Organizations recruitment, and Greek recruitment.
What do you do during the main event? Recruitment is in charge of checking-in at the main event and keeping track of our retention rate throughout the day. We also act as a “grab bag” committee, available to help any committees that are in need of extra hands on the day of.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? Get on Board Day in the Fall and Spring were incredible because we got to tell all of the Freshman about our favorite organization in the world!
How many directors are under you?  We currently have five Assistant Directors:
AD Greek, AD Organizations, AD Individual, AD Delegates, and AD First Year Committee (but AD FYC is turning into a Director position next year)


First Year Involvement
Directors: Clint Smith
Job Highlights: I do basic “lesson plans”. I bring in other directors to talk about their committees. They can also recruit the FYC members to their committees to help them out.
What do you do during the main event? I will be making sure that FYC members will be helping out as much as possible with anything that goes on throughout the day. The main goal would be for them to actually just participate in the events throughout the day.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? When my first FYC member hit Comma Club!
How many directors are under you? I recruited one FYC member to be an Assistant Director to help manage all of the reports and background work.

OUTREACH

VP of Community Outreach:  Kaitlyn Haefer
This year, my job is going to be split in half between two VP’s of Community Outreach and Partnerships which I am really excited about! The names of each title kinda explains itself for each position.
For Community Outreach, it includes: Hospital Relations (setting up hospital visits and other volunteer opportunities), Family Relations  (staying in contact with our miracle families and hosting events), and the newest, Community Involvement (getting in touch with schools, churches and families to let them know about our different events and informing them about UADM).
For Partnerships, it includes: Corporate (forming partnerships with local businesses), Hospitality (providing donated food for our events and hosting spirit nights), and the newest addition which is special events (planning events outside of the university).   


Vice President: Kaitlyn Haefer
Job Highlights: A lot of what I do is strategic planning, finding effective and innovative way to solve obstacles, Human Resource work (recruiting, coaching, counseling and discipling), leading and motivating my directors and committee members, keeping track of our progress, critical decision making, creating and establishing relationships with different professional stakeholders. We have had over 10 different partnerships which has been way more than we have had in the past. We also have twice as many Miracle Children in comparison to last year, and we had our first successful high school event!
What do you do during the main event? During the main event I make sure all of my committees are running smoothly: serving as a lifeline to the miracle children, picking up donated food for over 1,000 dancers, and making sure our sponsors (companies that donate to UADM) are properly being taken care of and dancers are learning about their business.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? Taking staff members and miracle makers to the hospital to volunteer with the patients. The events we attended ranged from a Halloween parade to a Sugar Plum Shop during Christmas. For me, it was really special to see our members actually get to see where all of our hard work and time goes! When they saw the patients in person, they suddenly understood the cause that we were fighting for and all of the sudden it made sense.
How many directors are under you?  
There are 5: Family Relations, Hospital Relations, High School Relations, Hospitality, Partnerships

Corporate Partnerships (much like new VP position)
Director: Andrew Reed
Job highlights:     I get to be the professional side of UADM, contacting local and corporate businesses to help them get involved in our cause. When someone needs something that needs to be paid, my sector is first asked if we can get it donated. We also secure raffle items and in kind donations. Anything from $50 dollar boutique items to $1,000 donations for events, that's our job.
What do you during the main event? During the main event our team is dedicated to fostering incredible donor stewardship among the distinguished invited guests from around Tuscaloosa and the country. We help secure food for everyone as well as serve the food. We make sure the raffle items are correctly specified and help monitor them.
Favorite memory or moment in the year related to your sector? I loved the bouncing ideas Kait, Erica, and I have in our meetings. We love each other and everything we do is valid and we can accomplish so much more together. Which is the theme of our organization. Also, the donation and help from Harbor on 6th, It really bolstered morale on my team and helped them know gaining corporate donations were doable.
How many directors are under you?
None. but I really need an assistant director.


Hospitality and Catering
Director: Erica McNaughton
Job Highlights: One of my more obvious job highlights is the responsibility of garnering enough food donations to feed around 1,000 college students two meals during the main event. I see this process through from start to finish.  I am also in charge of planning spirit nights at restaurants on the strip and in downtown Tuscaloosa. When businesses and restaurants think of UADM, they will think of the hundreds of emails I have sent this year, phone calls made by my committee and in-person visits that show how dedicated we are to this organization.
What do you do during the main event? We spend the day traveling to pick up donations for both lunch and dinner, setting up the food and making sure we have everything we need to feed the 1,000+ students at the event.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? I feel like a proud mom whenever I get a text saying, “I GOT A DONATION!” If the all caps doesn’t scream excitement, I don’t really know what does. I remember dreading the main event over Christmas break because I was so wrapped up in the fact that my team would be unable to get enough donations to feed the 1,000+ students attending the Main Event, but in the last two weeks my sector has come together to accomplish so much more than I would have thought possible! It’s been such a privilege to lead this team, and I cannot wait to see what this sector accomplishes next year.
How many directors are under you?
None, but I’m definitely wishing I had an assistant.

Hospital Relations
Director: Emily Chiaravalloti
Job Highlights:  I work to facilitate the recruitment and retention of our Miracle Families. I interview our potential staff members at the beginning of the year to locate people who are passionate about making connections with kids whose lives have been forever impacted by the incredible care at Children’s of Alabama. We plan fun events like our Miracle Family Fall Festival and Holiday Party, and work to contact new families and find opportunities to meet new families and tell them about all the fun and joy that they could experience through sharing their story of miracles with all of UADM.
What do you do during the main event?, Family Relations gets to hang out with their paired Miracle Kid, and all of the other Miracle Kids and their families all day long. At the top of every themed hour during Dance Marathon, one of the families will get on stage to share the impact that Children’s has had on their life.
Favorite memory or moment related to your sector? We had our second annual Miracle Family Fall Festival back in November, and the turnout was great.
How many directors are under you? I have two ADs. Liz Fromhold is my awesome Assistant Director of Family Relations, and Anthony Lipscomb is the wonderful Assistant Director of Volunteer Services.

High Schools
Director: Mary-Margaret Schmidt
Job highlights:     I get to organize and plan high school fundraisers. Anything from button sales to dance events all the way to mini-marathons (hopefully in the future).
What do you during the main event? During the main event my sector is there to help all the other outreach teams and to enjoy the day.
Favorite memory or moment in the year related to your sector? My favorite memory so far has been planning and MC-ing the first ever high school event. Before the dance showcase, we had a pizza party with the high schoolers who helped promote the event. The UA track team came to talk to them and we all just hang out and ate our weight in pizza.
How many directors are under you?
We started out with two but this committee really works when everyone is doing an equal amount of work. This year was a planning year and trial and error year so next year there hopefully will be one awesome Assistant Director!

FINANCE

Vice President: Cavi Drake
Job highlights: Getting to be creative in thinking of ways to fundraise, being able to have access to donor drive information.
What do you do during the main event? I will be tracking money for the majority of the day, in addition to assisting Taylor, Becca and Sarah with in-event fundraising and ensuring we are in sync with what morale has planned for the day.
Favorite memory or moment in the year related to your sector? Definitely counting money until 3:00 a.m. on $100 Day and finding out we raised $50,000!
How many directors are there under you?
3 - Director of Account Management, Director of Fundraising Campaigns, Director of Miracle Maker Relations.

Fundraising Campaigns
Director: Becca Michel
Job Highlights: Getting to brainstorm, plan and orchestrate all of the major fundraising pushes for UADM is honestly indescribable. Our job is to plan summer fundraising, $100 Day, LSU Week, holiday fundraising, Miracle Mania and in-event fundraising.
What do you do during the main event? During the main event, I will be coordinating with Morale, Miracle Maker Relations and Account Management to ensure all fundraising tactics are being executed as perfectly as possible in order to accumulate as much fundraising as possible throughout the day.
Favorite memory or moment in the year related to your sector? My favorite memory related to being Director of Fundraising Campaigns was after my first major campaign, $100 Day, there came a moment where it was just me, Caroline (Account Management) and Exec, and I was the only one who didn’t know how much we had fundraised so far. They all had access to DonorDrive, and even before counting all of the money we had in cash they told me already had more than $30,000 on DonorDrive. At that moment, I literally just began to sob because I had no idea what I was doing the entire day, and to see everything work out in such an amazing way where we raised $50,000 in one day.
How many directors are there under you? 1 Co-Director, 4 Committee Members

Account Management
Director: Caroline Lee
Job highlights: I enjoy counting money, and just watching the total money add up and up close to our goal.
What do you during the main event? During the main event, I will be tracking online donations, all offline donations including cash donations, donations through Venmo, and the donations through the card reader. Each hour we will track our merchandise sales. My Merchandise Assistant Director will be selling merchandise, and have FYC members and other staff helping make buttons, and sell merchandise.
Favorite memory or moment in the year related to your sector?: Definitely bonding with other staff members counting money for many many late hours.
How many directors are there under you? There are 3 directors under me. The Analytics/Insights Assistant Director, Merchandise Assistant Director, and the Corporate Assistant Director are all under me.

Miracle- Maker Relations
Director: Taylor Barron
Job highlights: I love my job! I get to work with the miracle makers and encourage them to fundraise and become more involved in UADM.
What do you during the main event? I’ll be working random stations and helping out wherever needed.
Favorite memory or moment in the year related to your sector?: On $100 Day when miracle makers raised over $7,000 (like $6,500 more than they raised on $100 Day last year)
How many directors are there under you? I have two assistant directors, one of Miracle Maker Emails and one of Miracle Maker Involvement, and I have eight other committee members.

​

​