While the Senior Class Council already has plans in the works for Senior Week come May, senior council member Adam Martin said the group will most likely be turning to the senior student body for more ideas.

Martin said seniors can most likely expect an email in the upcoming semester asking for opinions on what they want to see happen during Senior Week.

“Yes, we are the Senior Class Council and are supposed to be making the best choices for our class, but we really want to get everyone involved as much as possible,” Martin said. “By allowing their voice to be heard, we can possibly create events that the students really want to partake in.”

Senior Eryn Renze said she thinks the popularity of Senior Week could increase if students are allowed to voice their ideas.

“I think more seniors would be willing to go if it’s something they want to do,” Renze said.

Senior Dylan Nelson said he is glad the council is considering asking for senior input, and he said he hopes to be kept in the loop about Senior Week activities.

“I really don’t know what’s happening yet, so I think if they email us and ask us for our input it would be pretty nice, then you actually know what’s going on,” Nelson said.

Martin said Senior Week’s goal is to provide seniors and fall graduates an opportunity to participate in a variety of events to celebrate their time at St. Thomas. The group is working with a budget around $30,000 to $35,000 to make that possible, he said.

“When you look at it, it looks like a great deal of money, but when it comes down to just the Senior Night at (the student center), most of the budget will be spent on providing activities for that,” Martin said. “This is why we said we want to provide the class with as many options as available for events to attend, it really just depends on how much everything will cost to set up.”

Some of those options include the Senior Night in the Anderson Student Center planned for Friday, May 3 from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. Martin said the entire building will be closed-off to everyone but seniors, who will be admitted only by ticket to ensure exclusivity.

At the event, students will be able to participate in a concert at Scooter’s, bowling, an ‘85 room game tournament, picture booths, laser tag, free food and drawings for a variety of different prizes.

Senior Emily Schmitz said an idea would be to have a responsible party on the patio.

“I think a party on the patio in front of the Anderson Student Center would be cool,” Schmitz said. “It might be a good idea to open the beer garden like for football games.”

Martin said the council is also looking into blocking off a section at Target Field for St. Thomas seniors, a graduation feast, a senior picnic and a senior Mass.

“If we have the funds available, we are going to try and provide as many events as possible to get as many senior students involved,” Martin said.

To come up with these plans, Martin said the council relied largely on past experience.

“We got together for a meeting that last week of school to go over events that have worked in the past and what didn’t,” Martin said. “We chose the some of the most successful events and then tweaked them to be more beneficial for the student body.”

Senior Nick Henderson said that he is unsure about this year’s activities, but hopes they might be better than years previous.

“Some of my friends who graduated last year thought that the activities scheduled … were a waste of their time,” Henderson said. “Hopefully that does not happen to us.”

Renze said that she doesn’t know much about past Senior Week events, but she hopes the Senior Class Council will get the word out so that more seniors are in attendance this year.

“Fun things will always draw attention as long as they’re put out there and people know about them,” Renze said. “A lot of the events last year I didn’t really know about, so as long as there is good publicity I think people will go.”

No matter what events end up on the agenda, Martin said he and the council are hoping all seniors will participate in the week’s events.

“This is a week for everyone, whether you are a four-year student, transfer, live on or off campus, this week was created just for you,” Martin said. “We want to have it be a week where students can look back many years from now and say ‘I’m glad I chose to be a Tommie.’”

Briggs LeSavage can be reached at lesa4364@stthomas.edu.