Kidron Bullock is the coordinator for student engagement at UTC. Photo by Angela Foster.
During his undergraduate and graduate years at the University of North Georgia, Kidron Bullock spent a lot of his time in the Office of Student Involvement. He used his experience as a student to help plan countless events that would be fun and engaging for other students on campus.
In 2022, Bullock joined the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a coordinator for student engagement, playing a key role in some of UTC’s most beloved campus activities.
What do you do in your role as coordinator?
“My main role is overseeing the Homecoming Steering Committee and planning the student-facing events during homecoming week. I work with the student committee that helps plan those events. I also assist our assistant director with the student programs committee, which plans events throughout the year.
“Our office employs students who help plan and implement events. Some work on student programs year-round, while others focus just on homecoming week. I also handle the Scrappy newsletter, so you might know my name from there. It’s a weekly email highlighting events on MocSync for the week. I also run @utc_engage and homecoming social media accounts—and help with the marketing materials and posters for events.”
How could your office be a resource for students?
“All the events we plan are free for students, so I’d definitely recommend attending them. When we plan events, we focus on two goals, which are building a sense of community with other UTC students and creating a positive social experience. That’s the bedrock of what our events should be: enhancing the student experience and giving them more opportunities.
“The Scrappy newsletter is a great resource for finding out what’s happening on campus. Following us on social media (@utc_engage) and using MocSync are also super helpful. MocSync is basically a one-stop shop where students can find events, clubs and organizations.
“Our office also houses over 150 registered student organizations. If you don’t find something that interests you, you can start your own club with just a few friends. We also house fraternity and sorority life organizations and we’re partnered with the Multicultural Center for (National Pan-Hellenic Council) organizations.
“If you’re looking to get involved or get experience with event programming, apply for our positions. We just did our new hires for next year. We probably will be reopening applications in January. We have a few more positions we’re looking to fill, but we typically hire every November for the spring to fall academic year.”
Why should students attend campus events?
“The main reason is to have fun and to do something that isn’t academic related. I know everyone is here for a degree, but I want these experiences to be more than just sitting in a classroom. It’s a great way for freshmen and students of any year to meet people and potentially make lifelong friends. It happened to me and I’ve seen it happen for others.
“Plus, there’s free stuff. A lot of events have free food or giveaways and all the events are free to attend. Studies show that being involved and connected on campus improves your performance while you’re here.”
What’s your favorite event on campus?
“I love our make-and-take events because they’re so simple and easy for students to participate in. For bigger events, I’d say Oak Street Roast is a favorite. It’s the first event of the fall semester, and this year we had over 2,000 people attend. We had food trucks, inflatables, carnival rides, caricature artists—just a lot of different things for students to enjoy.
“Homecoming events are also a favorite of mine, especially when we get to plan them around a fun theme like this year’s ‘Scrappily Ever After.’ All our food and desserts were fairytale-themed, and I think our students did an amazing job with it.”
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