Meet your SMUSA VP of Events & Engagement
Written by Samarth Behl
Thumbnail & Banner Photo by SMUSA
Meet Liv Brennan, a fourth-year student majoring in Anthropology and Public Humanities & Heritage with a minor in Ancient Studies, hailing from New Brunswick. An interesting fact about Liv is that she has nine different tattoos on her body. “Some of them have a meaning and some of them are just for fun,” she added. Liv is also passionate about sustainable fashion. She likes to call her role as the VP of “fun”.
Role and Responsibilities
As VP of Events and Engagement, Liv’s work centres around creating fun, enriching experiences for students. Her role involves planning and facilitating events. “I also hire the street team and trivia hosts,” she added, showcasing the collaborative and versatile nature of her role. She is a part of the Welcome Weeks planning committee as well.
Students can approach Liv with ideas for events, suggestions for improving the Gorsebrook Lounge, an idea for an event that students want to host themselves or simply to share their thoughts on how to enhance campus life. “I am always open to hearing how we can improve and I especially want to have events for every student and I am always looking for feedback,” she added. Students can reach Liv by emailing events.smusa@smu.ca or by visiting her during her office hours which are Monday: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Tuesday: 9 am - 1 pm, Wednesday: 6 pm - 8:30 pm, Thursday: 9 am - 1 pm, Friday: 9 am - 10 am & 12:30 pm - 4 pm.
Achievements and Goals
Liv’s tenure as VP has already yielded significant accomplishments. One of her standout achievements was crafting a highly successful Welcome Week. “We had a very successful fall Welcome Week with great attendance,” she noted. Welcome Weeks are an exciting opportunity to welcome new students by organising events and making them feel a part of the Saint Mary’s community. More about the welcome weeks can be found here.
Looking forward, Liv is determined to expand the role of the Gorsebrook Lounge, SMU’s on-campus pub. When asked about how she plans to achieve this role, she replied, “I am doing that through a few different ways, mostly having consistent weekly programming by organising more trivia nights and on Thursday nights, there would always be an event happening and then some smaller passive programming would also be introduced throughout this year.” Additionally, she aims to increase its use by encouraging societies and student groups to take advantage of the space for socialising and holding events. A great example of this initiative can be seen in events like the "Peers and Profs Parlour" hosted by the Commerce Society this past September. This event brought together students and faculty members in a relaxed setting, encouraging meaningful conversations and networking.
Another key objective for Liv is improving student engagement. She is focusing on tracking attendance at events, receiving feedback and finding new ways to get students more involved. She believes that tracking attendance and taking constant feedback from students, whether it be positive or negative, would help SMUSA recognise what kinds of events students are actually interested in and how they can improve the events to increase student engagement. Whether through social media, posters, or in-person conversations, Liv is determined to connect with students for feedback and make sure their voices are heard.
Challenges and Balancing Work
Life as a VP isn’t without its challenges. For Liv, one of the biggest hurdles is adapting to the unpredictable and ever-changing nature of event planning. “You can plan as much as you want, but you really don’t know what to expect until the event actually happens,” she explained. “Events still need to happen so you really have to be able to acknowledge the problem and then immediately deal with it. As for dealing with this challenge, I would say working with my team, and effective communication has helped a lot. Along with trusting my instincts has helped me,” she further added.
Balancing her VP duties with her academic life also requires strong organizational skills. “Setting good boundaries for having work time vs academic time vs personal time is one thing that I take very seriously,” she shared. Liv relies on calendars and lists to keep herself on track, ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks.
Improving Campus Life
When asked what she would change about Saint Mary’s University, Liv expressed her desire to strengthen the campus community. “I want to make our Saint Mary’s community even closer,” she said, noting that while student engagement is strong, there’s always room for improvement. “In my opinion, the student experience is just as important as the academic experience. So, anyway that we can improve how our students engage with each other would be great. So, I think that can always improve,” she further added.
To achieve this, Liv suggests more programming and greater collaboration across the university and beyond campus as well. She believes that working with both on-campus partners and the broader community will help create a more enriching experience for students. Listening to students’ needs and acting upon their feedback is at the heart of her approach.
Final Thoughts and Advice for Students
Liv has one important piece of advice for her fellow students: get involved. “There are so many opportunities to get involved and that’s how I got into this role. You can start small just by going to one of our events and if you find something that you like on campus, stick with it,” she said. Reflecting on her journey, Liv emphasized that starting small can lead to big opportunities.