Tia Smith Named Programmer Of Year, Qualifies For Nationals

Neligh native Tia Smith was among the members of Northeast Community College’s Student Leadership Association (SLA) and Student Activities Council (SAC) who were recognized for their work over the past year.

At a recent conference in Chicago, Smith received Midwest Region Student Programmer of the Year and qualified APCA’s national conference in February in Orlando, Fla.

Eight members of the groups, and Carissa Kollath, director of student activities, as well as Erika Rupprecht, student activities coordinator, attended the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) regional conference in Chicago.

SAC took home two awards in the graphic competition division. They earned first place in the novelty item category for their “SAC socks” as first place in the t-shirt category for their “I’m a Hawk CawCaw!” baseball t-shirt.

“APCA is a wonderful opportunity for us to work with other schools, share ideas and grow our programming,” Kollath said.

Northeast students who attended the conference include Jacque Bartosh, Arlington; Josh Escamilla, David City; Holly Esterly, Ainsworth; Kelsey McCaig, Blair; Brian Saravia Mejia, Norfolk; Andrew Smith, North Platte; Tia Smith, Neligh; and Brandon Sneller, Fremont.
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APCA seeks to promote campus engagement through quality educational experiences, affordable entertainment and community service initiatives. Last year, over 600 schools and more than 2,000 students and higher education professionals attended APCA conferences and events across the country.