New Jersey Folk Festival Program Book 2013 Apr. 2013 | страница 4

A Student-Run Event History of The Festival This festival is the end product of a class intended, in part, to provide students with leadership opportunities. The Festival is one out of only a handful in the united states managed by undergraduate students. Collectively, the class is responsible for continuing the Festival’s mission of celebrating the diverse, multicultural and indigenous folk life of New Jersey and the region. In 1975, when the Festival first started, only two students were involved in its organization and management. Today, fifteen students serve as coordinators for the music, food, crafts, and demonstrations that you see today on the field. Alumni of the Festival also serve as advisors to the committee. 2013 Student and Advisor Committee The class meets for three hours once per week under the direction of Faculty Advisors Dr. Angus Kress Gillespie and Erin Clarke. The first half of the class is comprised of academic lessons and instruction in which the students learn concepts including background information on the culture featured for the year’s festival, performer’s histories, and relevant skills like writing press releases. The second half of the class functions as a business meeting run by the Festival Manager, complete with progress reports from coordinator, “breakaway” management teamwork sessions, as well as problem-solving discussions during the meeting wrap-up. The coordinators form a close-knit team, and over the course of several months, each student develops such leadership skills as written and verbal communication, organization, assertiveness, and time management. This class is part