BSU fashion show adds glamour to conventional routines

Have you ever thought there would be a fashion show based off of your everyday Geneseo wardrobe? Maybe you haven’t, but the Black Student Union and the Geneseo Bookstore thought that student style was worthy of the runway. “Geneseo On The Go” was the theme of this year’s fashion show held in the Union Ballroom on April 18, according to BSU president junior Christopher Bland.

“We decided to do ‘Geneseo On The Go’ to capture how a Geneseo student would look on their way to their favorite hangout spot,” Bland said.

The fashion show included three different apparel themes – the gym, the dining halls and Milne Library – and portrayed models in typical apparel seen on the Geneseo campus.

Taking a step away from the traditional runway scene, the show included a bit of acting.

“We actually had all three of the scenes on the stage present at the same time, and we separated it into the library, dining hall and the gym,” Bland said.

The models were each located within a scene.

“Then the light would shine on one scene and the models would come to life while the other scenes remained frozen,” he said.

Bland said that to further the acting element, “[The models] would say goodbye to their friends when we called their names and then they would walk down the runway like they were leaving.”

“A lot of people like to volunteer, they think it’s a lot of fun and they may get a gift bag at the end,” Bland said. “We had 25 models and they covered … probably 40 roles.” The models would do their runway walk and then switch runway outfits.

Bland emphasized that the models’ outfits were “nothing too made up, nothing too unrealistic, but something that would be a small piece that would represent Geneseo.”

“The models brought in their own clothing, things like shoes and pants, and then we would work with that,” Bland said. Apparel from the Bookstore would then be mixed in with the models’ apparel.

Members of many different organizations helped with hair, makeup and outfit coordination.

“The greatest difficulty by far is to coordinate so many people on such a large scale,” Bland said. “There are things I have to account for, like people being late. They volunteer, so they don’t have an obligation to be there.”

The group had a few meetings before the show and then one rehearsal. Bland explained that it was important to coordinate everyone’s schedules so they could be there.

“We had a great, great crowd. The turnout was great,” Bland said. He noted that the event would not have been such a success without the school’s support.

The Campus Bookstore provided the Geneseo apparel showcased during the show. Bland also said he hopes to continue this collaborative event in future years.

MLC adds to Relay contributions

While most teams are hosting bake sales or dance-a-thons to raise money for this year’s Relay for Life event, tutors from the Math Learning Center are offering up math tips for actual tips. “We thought it would be fun to put a tip jar [in the MLC] where students could kind of give tips for good service and then the funds would go to Relay,” MLC tutor senior Suraj Uttamchandani said.

Uttamchandani emphasized that while the tutoring is free, the tip idea presents an easy way for students to give back.

“We have a lot of great students who work really hard … and those people really like to – I don’t want to say “give back” to the Math Learning Center – but it’s nice for them to have the opportunity to donate,” he said.

He explained that his Relay team was not founded by the MLC department, but by the tutors who work there. Their team name is “Convergent for a Cure,” a play on math terminology.

In the first day of its fundraiser, which took place during all-college hour last week, the team raised $183.

“We are really playing up the fact that we can help you with your math, that’s our thing,” Uttamchandani said.

The team has not only been successful at raising money, but has also acted as a great bonding opportunity for the tutors.

“We are starting to have a really nice community among the tutors … We were all really on board for Relay, and it was something we all wanted to get involved in together,” Uttamchandani said.

The number of tutors working in the MLC has increased this year, allowing the Relay team to have approximately 15 members.

“We just had a budget increase that we are really excited about, we have so many new tutors and so many more hours,” Uttamchandani said.

The bonding experience on “Convergent for a Cure” extends to not just the tutors, but also the whole MLC department.

“I think those people who frequent the Math Learning Center are a really big part of that community as well,” Uttamchandani said.

“Convergent for a Cure” will continue its fundraising until Relay for Life on Saturday April 5 and the tip jar will remain in the MLC.