The MSA/GPC Black Programming Committee hosted its opening third Thursday event of the semester, “Mocktail Hour: An Evening of Jazz and Drink” at the Reynolds Alumni Center on Thursday evening.
“The purpose of this event is a networking and social event,” BPC senior chair Azia Egbe said. “It gives students and student organization leaders an opportunity to meet outside of a classroom or business setting.”
The event featured an MU-affiliated, student-based jazz band, mocktail drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and chairs and tables for people to sit and socialize.
Many guests came from organizations such as Legion of Black Collegians, Missouri Students Association and Four Front, according to Junior Black Programming Chair Myles Artis.
“I think the mocktail hour is a cool event to showcase a lot of the BPC,” MSA Director of Student Activties Joey Greenstein said.
The BPC is a sub-committee in the Department of Student Activities.
“We’re basically here to advertise the black experience, bring in people to different events that we program, as well as try to bring in the community and diverse backgrounds and the student life so that they can also be educated on the black culture and the experiences that go along with it,” Artis said.
Artis further explained that the BPC’s goals are to try to reach out to the entire MU community and to get people from diverse backgrounds to come experience their events, even though they focus on the black community.
The mocktail hour event is something new that the BPC hosted.
“We just wanted to do something different (as) an opener,” Artis said. “This is BPC; we’re still here on campus. This is something that we wanted students and faculty to come to and just mingle and to just have a relaxed time.”
Artis discussed future events the BPC has planned for the year, including a spring fashion show in April.
“The show is to basically advertise MU student designers and Columbia community designers and models,” he said.
Egbe also said there are tentative dates the BPC is working on with the International Programming Committee to bring in a speaker.
Artis said BPC meets in committee to discuss new ideas for events, and if they like an idea, they break into groups to discuss the details. Then, they discuss the event with the executive board, Greenstein and adviser Kathy Murray. If they get the necessary approval, it’s full steam ahead with the event.
The BPC is currently brainstorming with the heads of LBC and Four Front for events they can all co-program on.
“This is my first semester of senior chair, and I’m open with that. We did co-program with them in the past,” Edge said, regarding working with the other organizations.
Artis said he thinks the mocktail hour event would be a staple event every year.
“We had a lot of planning going to this and a lot of sweat and tears,” he said. “I feel that after this event and after this turnout and what we expect, I think it would be a good concurring event that will happen every single year.”