By: Daisy Davis
Nicole greets student's with a smile and scans their Eagle ID's so they can enjoy free popcorn and candy. Nicole joined the UPB this semester, and said that she is excited to help them plan events such as Abroad Together and the Miss Georgia Southern Scholarship Competition.
Mekhila Smith, a member of UPB, prepares bags of popcorns for student's attending the event. Even in the cold weather, the UPB members are happy to host this event that fosters community on campus.
Mekhila scoops the freshly popped popcorn into individual grab-and-go bags for students headed to their next class. The event also serves as a promotion for UPB to recruit members to help with campus event planning.
Bags of fresh popcorn sit in a basket, where they are quickly grabbed by students checking into the event. The easy snack allows students to enjoy the event, even with a busy schedule.
Zubair Maruf is a Georgia Southern graduate student hoping to get his master's degree in Math. He was happy to get a snack during his limited break between classes.
Zubair thanks the UPB members for organizing the events as he takes his popcorn. Zubair was born in Bangladesh and moved to the United States to attend Georgia Southern.
Jalaya Clement, UPB's Vice President of Membership, talks to student's about the program. Jalaya hopes events, like this one, encourage students to become a part of organizations like the UPB.
Mekhila prepares more popcorn, making sure to add a generous amount of butter. Popcorn seasonings are abundant and offer even more flavor for the snack.
A student grabs a bag of popcorn from the basket before heading out. The Russell Union Rotunda works well as an event location for students on their way to and from classes.
Jaylin Wood, a UPB general member, focuses on campus engagement by encouraging students to follow UPB on instagram and attend events. Jaylin says he enjoys working for the UPB because he likes talking to people and talking to students at events.
Adrianna places the popcorn in the basket before going outside to speak to students and other UPB members. Adrianna is the main organizer of events for the UPB and enjoys seeing students attend these events.
A student reaches for a piece of candy sitting beside the check-in table. The snacks offered at this event help give students a boost throughout their day and expose them to campus organizations.
Adrianna and Nicole check-in Georgia Southern sophomore Jkira Wimbush. Jkira is a Nursing major at Georgia Southern.
Jkira seasons her popcorn as her friend, Savannah Wilson, talks to the UPB workers. Jkira and Savannah became friends through Georgia Southern's Nursing program, and they both have two years left in the program.
Sydney Harrell (left) and Miracle Stephens (right) enjoy some seasoned popcorn. Miracle is an Elementary Education major and Sydney is studying Exercise Science.
Sydney and Miracle laugh after joking that they forgot what year they are in school. They are both Sophomores and expected to graduate in 2028.
The popcorn is wiped out as the two hour event ends at 3.p.m . The UPB's next major event is the Miss Georgia Southern Scholarship Competition, which is set for Saturday, January 31 at 6 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center.
