You’d have to be living under a rock if you haven’t heard the
thumping 80’s-inspired beats, instantly catchy synth hooks, and
shouty catchphrases that are Party Rock Anthem. The pure party song
by pop duo LMFAO was the backdrop and theme of a flash mob in the
midst of a bustling Campus Center.

“I was surprised. I didn’t know this was planned until I realized
how well choreographed it was,” said an observing student.

The dance took weeks of practice, and it began with Joane Guillet,
a senior and social-psych major at UMB who works in the Office of
Student Leadership and Community Engagement (OSLCE). It was her
boss’s idea, she said, too modest to take credit for her
leadership.

“It was the supportive atmosphere that really made it all come
together,” she said. “For the flash mob, none of it was me. All I
did was send out emails and collect names.”

About twenty students from different clubs and centers around
campus participated in the flash mob.

Guillet has been involved in OSLCE for three years. Her first
experience with Student Life was on an Alternate Break trip, and
after that experience she was hooked. From there she got involved
in Habitat for Humanity and helped create a chapter of the
organization on campus. She never expected to get so much out of
her time at UMB.

“Originally I was looking for a completely different experience
from Boston,” she said. “Basically my parents made me go here . . .
But now I love it.”

Since she grew up in Boston, in the Mattapan area, Guillet wasn’t
originally interested in staying around the city. She loves
experiencing different cultures, and she didn’t think that she
could get that chance just a few miles from where she grew up. But
getting involved in student life on campus changed her
perspective.

“I feel like UMass Boston is its own little epicenter of culture,
right here in Boston,” she said. “I love the culture. I love the
diversity. You can actually develop relationships with professors
here.”

There are all kinds of ways for students to get involved on campus.
For info about student clubs or actvities around campus, visit the
Student Activities office on the third floor of the Campus
Center.

Fall Service Opportunities

Project Serve – Serve for 4 to 10 hours a week

OSLCE offers three different ways for you to help out your
community this fall: mentor at the Freedom House; tutor at the
Dever-McCormack School;

Volunteer at LIFT – liftcommunities.org/boston. To find out more
visit the UMB Volunteer Fair on September 14th in the Campus
Center.

Mission Possible – UMass Boston Day of Service

October 22nd, 8am – 3pm

There will be about ten different sites around Boston for this
semester’s day of service. OSLCE is looking for motivated students
interested in making a difference in our community. To get involved
email Joane Guillet at [email protected].