Richard Sherman is our #SpeakBlue distinguished speaker! He will be giving a lecture on April 8th at 8pm in the Singletary Center. FREE Student tickets are available NOW at the Singletary Center Ticket Office, and general public tickets go on-sale on FRIDAY for $10. Get yours today- this will be an event you won’t want to miss!

Richard Sherman is a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks, and is the self-proclaimed “best cornerback in the NFL”. He was chosen as our distinguished speaker not just for his talent in athletics, but for his ability to overcome hardships and challenge stereotypes, among other qualities. SAB can’t wait for this event, and we hope you can’t either! Check out some of his highlights from the 2014-2015 football season in the video above! #SpeakBlue

For this weeks #MusicMonday, enjoy a live performance of "Archers" by the Ballroom Thieves, and up-and-coming folk rock band from Boston. Hear them LIVE at Memorial Hall on Monday, March 9th, at 8pm. 

SAB's 80's Night- 2/26

SAB is still preoccupied, with 19…19….1985!

 The 1980’s were a time of big hair, disco, and flashy clothing. It’s an era known for it’s free spirits, emergence of music videos,and dance parties…some say almost a rebirth of culture. Cabbage Patch Kids, Strawberry Shortcake, Hungry Hungry Hippos, and the cast of popular shows such as Full House, Married with Children, and The Golden Girls, are iconic pop culture happenings of the 1980’s. It was a decade that we fondly remember in the twenty-first century, seeing as the top-selling album of 2014 was Taylor Swifts fifth record, titled “1989”.

 SAB’s Pop Culture committee is happy to bring “80’s Night” to the Student Center’s Grand Ballroom on February 26th from 6-8pm. Join us for a night of 80s dance hits featuring DJ Warren Peace, trivia contest, themed photo booth, and refreshments (including retro candy!) But the 80’s fun doesn’t stop there! Bring your 80’s grooves and shoes with you- there will be prizes for best costume, best dancer, and trivia winners! This 80’s party is one that you DON’T want to miss!

 Take a nostalgic trip back to the 80’s with SAB, but before you come out to the event on February 26th, relive some of the best moments of the decade with the videos below:

 Bowling For Soup- “1985”

Not from the 80’s, but this hit song from Bowling For Soup shows our communal nostalgia for a time when there was “music still on MTV”…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K38xNqZvBJI

 “Back To The Future” (1985) Movie Trailer

Check out this state-of-the-art movie from 1985, where the “future” they travel to in the movie just so happens to be 2015…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvsgGtivCgs

 Bon Jovi- “Livin’ On A Prayer”

Check out this totally 80’s music video classic from Bon Jovi. We’re halfway there….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk

 Cyndi Lauper- “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”

Relive some of the fashion and teenage angst of the 80’s with “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIb6AZdTr-A

 “The Breakfast Club” (1985) Movie Trailer

One of the most beloved movies from the 80’s, “The Breakfast Club”, if you haven’t seen this movie, you’re going to have to watch more than just this trailer…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfhIcgGpWhs

Happy snow day, Wildcats! Dream of warmer weather with this famous clip from Disney's "The Lion King", and join SAB on our trip to Louisville to see the live musical version of this famous story on March 29th!

Student tickets are $25 (with student ID), and faculty tickets are $50, which includes your ticket to the show, lunch, and transportation! Tickets are on-sale beginning February 17th at the Student Center Ticket Office.

#MusicMonday

Jim Gaffigan Instagram Contest

Want to win a FREE pair of tickets to see Jim Gaffigan on February 21st at the Singletary Center? Everyone who posts a video on Instagram doing their best Jim Gaffigan Impression will be entered in a contest to win a FREE pair of tickets! You must be following SAB on Instagram (@UKSAB) and use our hashtag #GaffiganUK in your caption. Winners will be notified on Wednesday, February 18th.

MUSIC MONDAY: Sam Smith- Lay Me Down

Sam Smith won BIG at the Grammy's last night- going home with four of the coveted golden trophies. Aside from being a Grammy winning artist- he is one of SAB's favorites! You can often hear his soulful voice playing throughout the office. 

Check out his recently released music video for "Lay Me Down" and have a great Monday!

SAB is Thankful

The Thanksgiving holiday is only days away, and Thanksgiving break is finally upon us! Taking a few days to relax and take time away from the hectic life of a college student is crucial.

Thanksgiving is a holiday in which Americans take a day to celebrate everything they are thankful for. Whether you were born and raised in the United States, or you came here from another place, we all come together with the shared vision of being thankful for the good in our lives, the opportunities that arise from the bad, and the American dream that is attainable to those who work hard for what they want.

On SAB, we have a lot to be thankful for this year. As a group, we are thankful to be able to program events for the students on the University of Kentucky campus. We are compiled of students from diverse backgrounds, differing in the way we were brought up, the areas we came from, and the beliefs that we hold, but we all come together to bring out the best in each other, and therefore work to bring the best events to campus. With being a diverse group of students, we all have unique ways that we celebrate Thanksgiving, and what the holiday means to us.

Junior Jacob Ewing, SAB president, says that his favorite part of Thanksgiving is reuniting with his family. “It's a great time to count the things that matter most, and to remember our successes and failures over the past 12 months”, Jake says, “There's always something to be learned from those experiences, and having your family there to support you makes it even more impactful.”

Mark Taylor, SAB’s Market Research Director, shares his family’s tradition, saying “before we start eating, we all recite something we are thankful for and everyone has to say something, regardless of age”, and Brenton Smith, Director of Pop Culture, adds his anecdote, saying that he loves to “gorge himself with football and homemade desserts”

No matter where you come from, connections with other people seems to be the tie that binds us all in giving our thanks. Olivia Senter, Director of Public Relations, says that she is most looking forward to ”taking a step away from school and work and reconnecting with the people that mean the most to her”.

Whether you call Lexington home, or are traveling for the holiday, have a safe and fun Thanksgiving, Wildcats! SAB is so thankful for the University of Kentucky students that allow us to throw great events on campus!

Traditions Committee Spotlight

“When you come to UK, you are UK, now and forever.” The SAB Traditions Committee is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the University of Kentucky, and instilling new traditions into the lives of the present students and every future student who steps foot on campus.

With rich tradition’s such as Paint the Town Blue and Kitty Karnival, SAB’s Traditions committee helps to instill a sense of pride in UK’s past in our students. But, with great innovative events such as “Legacy Week”, which featured a campus-wide day of service as well as a Senior Candlelight Ceremony, this committee is making it’s mark on future traditions of the University of Kentucky.

As a board, SAB works to reach all of our core values. The director of Traditions, Zoe Pittman, describes the ways that her committee reaches each of these:

Get to know the Traditions Committee:

Each Director on the Student Activities Board is given the responsibility to leading their specific committee, as well as working with other committees, to plan great events to bring to the campus.

Zoe Pittman- Director of Traditions

The committee chairs play a vital role in the machine that is SAB. Coming from places all over the country, our chairs, along with our directors, all bring something unique and special to the board. Learn more about the diverse variety of students that help in bringing huge events to the University of Kentucky Campus.

Get to know the Traditions Chairs:

Kelly Kramer

Paige Cranwell

Ashley Nantz

Major: Social Work / Pre Law Hometown: Tampa, FL Favorite Past SAB Event: Chance the Rapper Favorite Past Traditions Event: Tabling for Homecoming Event Ashley is Most Looking Forward To: Homecoming

Tiffany Watts

Hometown: North Fort Myers, Florida

Favorite Past SAB Event: Chance The Rapper

Favorite Past Traditions Event: Homecoming!

Event Tiffany is Most Looking Forward To: Homecoming!!

The Tradition’s Committee is gearing up for Homecoming Week 2014, which kicks off TOMORROW with Paint the Town Blue! Check out our Tumblr post on Homecoming for information on all that is goin’ on to celebrate the ROARING tradition of UK!

Committee Spotlight- Engaging Issues

As college students, we are constantly faced with making decisions on what we believe based on what is happening in the world around us. The Engaging Issues committee on SAB is dedicated to educating and engaging students on current events in our ever-changing world.

Past events include things such as lectures by Blake Mycowskie of TOMS, Jamie Tworkowski of TWLOHA, and Dan Austin of 88Bikes, as well as celebrity appearances like MTV’s Andrew Jenks and Grammy-award winner and activist John Legend. The Engaging Issues committee has successful recurring event series, such as the MarCat during Kentucky Week and the #TrendingTopics series, which is an interactive debate which has covered issues such as marijuana legalization, green energy, women’s reproductive rights, and immigration reform.

As a board, SAB works to reach all of our core values. The director of Engaging Issues, James Collard, describes the ways that his committee reaches each of these:

Teamwork: The Engaging Issues committee works to bring together students with similar interests and allow for informed discussions to occur through the use of Twitter at events. 

Diversity: Engaging Issues focuses on programming a wide range of topics so that many diverse individuals will be able to attend events that will appeal to their interests.  They also work to program events that promote a more inclusive campus.

Stewardship: Our committee often focuses upon using the wealth of knowledge available on campus in the form of professors, faculty, and staff. 

Enrichment: The events that we plan are mainly focused upon challenging the mindsets of audience members by presenting them with unique perspectives on current issues. 

Get to know the Engaging Issues Committee:

Each Director on the Student Activities Board is given the responsibility to leading their specific committee, as well as working with other committees, to plan great events to bring to the campus.

James Collard- Director of Engaging Issues.

The committee chairs play a vital role in the machine that is SAB. Coming from places all over the country, our chairs, along with our directors, all bring something unique and special to the board. Learn more about the diverse variety of students that help in bringing huge events to the University of Kentucky Campus.

Get to know the Engaging Issues Chairs:

David Kinstley

Connor Giesselman

Samantha La Mar

   The Engaging Issues Committee is back with another installment of the #TrendingTopics series which focuses on Pornography vs. Morality. This interactive debate will feature famous porn star Ron Jeremy and Pastor Craig Gross and will occur at 8pm on Wednesday, October 15th in Memorial Hall.

UK Homecoming Week 2014

It's a wildcat tradition, old sport! Help SAB celebrate the tradition of the University of Kentucky! Here in our old Kentucky home, old and new events come together to form this years Homecoming week! From annual favorites such as Paint the Town Blue and Kitty Karnival, to new traditions that are bound to be a smash, such as the Royalty Showcase and the Street Fair, this years Homecoming is one you DON'T want to miss! Help us continue on the "roaring" tradition of seeing blue in everything that we do during The Great CATSby 2014!

Paint The Town Blue

Part of a long ROARING tradition, Paint The Town Blue is back this year to color our campus with Wildcat spirit! Organizations that choose to participate are designated windows around campus to paint with the purpose of exciting students while raising morale for the Homecoming week. All windows will be judged and points will be awarded to the winning organization. Paint The Town Blue will take place from October 18th-20th, with judging being on the 20th at 10am, but the window displays will stay up all throughout homecoming week! This is a great event and adds spirited decoration all over campus!

Royalty Showcase

The Homecoming Royalty competition honors distinguished students who have excelled in bettering the UK and Lexington community and are well-rounded  representatives  of the University. This year we are excited to introduce a new segment of Homecoming week at the University of Kentucky, a Royalty Showcase. We hope that from this Royalty Showcase, students genuinely get to know contestants on the Homecoming court and how they exemplify qualities of leadership. This year we are eager to see students of many different backgrounds represent their perspective organizations through Homecoming Royalty. The Royalty Showcase will take place on Monday, October 20th, with doors opening at Memorial Coliseum at 7pm and the Showcase beginning at 8pm.

Kitty Karnival

The Student Activities Board will be hosting its ninth annual Kitty Karnival, an event held during Homecoming week that is meant to benefit the youth throughout the Lexington community. In an entertainment-filled night of games, crafts, prizes, and a petting zoo, Kitty Karnival offers UK students the chance to interact with local children. By emphasizing the family and community aspect of this event, the Student Activities Board hopes to provide an evening of fun and an inviting atmosphere that represents the spirit of tradition and history of the University of Kentucky. This year the Kitty Karnival will take place on Tuesday, October 21st from 5:30-7:30 on the Administration Lawn.

Homecoming Street Fair

SAB is partnering with STAT/Team Wildcat for a brand new, Homecoming Week event. Thursday, October 23rd from 6-9 p.m., University of Kentucky students are invited to enjoy a “street fair” located on Avenue of Champions, in front of Memorial Coliseum. Students will be able to enjoy food, games, music and giveaways while also seeing what happened on campus this past year with performances from student organizations. We are looking forward to this fun, all-student event to celebrate Homecoming Week.

Royalty Presentation

Homecoming Royalty is the selective process of rewarding University of Kentucky students that are “Seeing Blue in Everything They Do.” Through the “roaring” tradition of Kentucky Wildcats past and present, we want to recognize a select group of profound students here at the University of Kentucky for their achievements and outstanding character. These students will receive recognition through a showcase-style event at the UK vs. Mississippi State Football Game on Saturday, October 25th!

Chance the Rapper is known for his collaborations. You can hear Chance with other well-known artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, and even Justin Bieber.

On today's #MusicMonday, check out the song "Long Night" by up and coming hip-hop artist Hoodie Allen, featuring Chance the Rapper.

Hoodie Allen is known for his songs "No Interruption" and "Cake Boy" and his upcoming album "People Keep Talking" drops on October 14th.

Chance the Rapper tickets are still on-sale on ticketmaster.com as well as at the Student Center Ticket Office. They're going fast though, so get yours before they're gone!

#AcidRapCats #MusicMonday

Kentucky Week 2014

“For the old Kentucky home, far away…” Kentucky Week is a short series of events created to celebrate the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This year Kentucky Week will take place from September 14th-20th and will have many showcases of the arts, agriculture, artisanship, athletics and music all exhibited for those who call the Commonwealth home, either permanently or temporarily. This week seeks to delve beneath the traditional representations of the state to reveal the rich culture tucked away in both hills and cities across the bluegrass. Want to see what the Commonwealth has to offer? Check out what Kentucky Week has for you this year!

Kentucky Week Farmer’s MarCat and Craft Fair

September 15, 2014 - 10 a.m.-3 p.m. - Student Center Patio

Do you like to live green and support local businesses? Help us kick off Kentucky Week and stop by the Farmer’s MarCat and Craft Fair to purchase homemade crafts and learn about sustainability! Local businesses will be setting up booths on the Student Center patio for students to browse and enjoy on Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Facebook event name: SAB’s Farmers MarCat & Craft Fair

PRHBTN Gallery

Reception: September 16, 2014 - 7-9 p.m. - Rasdall Gallery

Exhibit: September 16-29, 2014 - Rasdall Gallery

PRHBTN is a celebration of art and community that will infuse the Rasdall Gallery with the life of street art. This exhibition moves past spray cans and displays the vast culture that has become street art. The reception will take place on Sept. 16 7-9 p.m. in the Rasdall Gallery, but visitors can enjoy the exhibition throughout Kentucky Week. Join us in getting to know a large player in the Lexington art scene.

Big Blue Commonwealth

September 17, 2014 - 8 p.m. - Memorial Hall

Athletics play a huge part in the daily lives of those who call the Commonwealth home, as well as those whole “bleed blue” all over the world. Whether you were born and raised in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, if you call this place your new home, or have ventured somewhere new but always support your “Old Kentucky Home”, you eat, sleep, and breathe for the Wildcats! The Big Blue Commonwealth event will feature a panel of well-known Kentucky sports journalists that will discuss the large-scale implications this has upon those living in Kentucky in Memorial Hall on Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. This event will showcase the impact that athletics has had upon the Kentucky culture for both those native and new to our Commonwealth. Students should submit their questions for the panel to UK SAB’s twitter account: @uksab.    

Houndmouth

September 18, 2014 - 8:00 p.m. (Doors 7pm) - Kentucky Theater

Come celebrate Kentucky’s rising musical talent at one of Lexington’s most historic venues. Houndmouth is bringing their soulful harmonies to the Kentucky Theater as a part of SAB’s Kentucky Week. Grab some friends and come discover another reason to love the Commonwealth. Houndmouth is set to rock the Kentucky Theater on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m.

Start your Thursday off right by listening to "Cocoa Butter Kisses" by Chance the Rapper and get in the spirit for our fall concert on October 13th! Student tickets are on-sale NOW at the Student Center Ticket Office for $10 with a valid UK ID! #AcidRapCats

SAB is bringing Chance the Rapper to Memorial Coliseum for our Fall Concert on October 13th! Student tickets are on-sale now at the Student Center Ticket Office! Student tickets are $10 with a valid UK ID! Get yours today #AcidRapCats!

K Week 2014

Start this school year off right! Make sure to take advantage of all K-Week has to offer! Aside from free food, tshirts, and other great giveaways at K-Week events, this week is designed to help introduce the wide array of amazing resources, organizations and facilities that UK has to offer! Check out what SAB has goin' on during K-Week below:

Campus Ruckus

--August 23, 2014 - 9 p.m.-12 a.m. - Commonwealth Stadium Blue Lot

Join SAB “Under the Sea” at Campus Ruckus, their annual semester kick-off event, on Aug. 23 at Commonwealth Stadium Blue Lot. Learn more about student organizations on campus, including Student Government Association, African Student Association, CATalyst Coalition, DanceBlue and many more. Find the organizations that are right for you and ask how you can get involved. Be sure to sample some of Lexington’s finest college cuisine and pick up tons of free swag including t-shirts!

Student Center Spectacular

--August 24, 2014 - 8 p.m.-12 a.m. - Student Center

Wondering where you can become involved on campus? Joining SAB at their annual Student Center Spectacular event is an opportunity you will not want to miss. Learn about many of the student organizations at UK, such as WRFL, OUTsource and the Student Government Association. Play games, tour offices, meet other students and score free swag, like t-shirts and giveaways. Enjoy free food and music as you make your way around the Student Center at your leisure. End your experience in the Student Center with a “Spectacular” magic show at 11 p.m.

Opening Act Movie

--August 27, 2014 - 9 p.m. - Johnson Center Field

What’s a better way to end a stressful first day of classes than by relaxing with an outdoor movie? Kick back with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 on Aug. 27 at 9 p.m. on Johnson Center Field. Grab a group of friends and enjoy one of the summer’s biggest blockbusters with SAB for free.

We hope to see you at all K-Week events this year!