Laurie Frederickson
President
ubpres@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major: Criminal Justice, Psychology
What is your favorite band/group? Whoever is starring in the next UB Concerts event, of course!
What is your favorite movie? When Harry Met Sally
What is your favorite dessert? Banana bread
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? The fall
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? The Union Board office. After so many years on board, it feels like my home away from home. I can always find a quiet spot to focus and get things done or a friend to chat with while I take a break from studying.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
My uncle was a Union Board Director when he attended IU, and he spoke so highly of his experience that I knew I had to check it out. The first event I ever helped with was the Hasan Minaj lecture. To this day it is one of my favorite memories of IU. I remember being so moved by seeing students, faculty, staff, and community members all come together in the auditorium, and I think it is incredible that an event that a singular student puts on can bring so many people together. The way that Union Board builds community on campus, and makes the IMU a home for so many Hoosiers, is a mission I’ve always deeply resonated with and one that I am passionate about promoting.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
During my first year on the board (2022), I was the Director of Spirit and Traditions. In that role, I planned 12 different programs including an IU Day Carnival, a Homecoming 5K, and many more engaging, IU-themed events. In 2023, I was the Vice President of Internal Affairs. In this role, I oversaw assistant directors, helped foster a positive internal culture through training and bonding events, and supported the other executive officers.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
Since the start of my term, I have promised to always prioritize the best interests of Union Board, the Student Body, and the Indiana Memorial Union. I believe that it is the president’s job to not only support the vision of the board as a whole, but to support the rest of the board in achieving their goals. I will support the directors so that they can plan as many events as possible, as smoothly as possible. Finally, I want to savor my final year on board and help others get the most out of their time on board.
Anay Terala
Vice President of Finance
ubvpfine@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major: Finance
Minor: Economics
What is your favorite band/group? Coldplay
What is your favorite movie? The Pursuit of Happyness
What is your favorite dessert? Tiramisu
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? I love the various types of international restaurants in the downtown area.
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? My favorite place in the IMU is the Biddle Hotel lobby. I love the map of campus and could stare at it for hours. I love the seating and seeing all the people enter the Union.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
The first Union Board event I was exposed to was “A Conversation with Hasan Minhaj,” who was someone I looked up to during my childhood. This was at the beginning of my freshman year and was the first school event where I felt a sense of belonging on campus. From then, I went to more and more events and began to get involved with Union Board as an organization. I loved the programming they did, their student representation in governance issues, and the culture on a day-to-day basis.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
I was the Assistant Director of Finance for the 114th Indiana Memorial Union Board.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
My goals are to support director programming through any means and ensure they have all the necessary resources to succeed in their events. Furthermore, I have the goal of recognizing shifting student needs and working with staff and faculty within the IMU to ensure that student voices are heard and represented in all kinds of issues.
Stephanie Belmontes
Vice President of Internal Affairs
ubvpia@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major: Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management
Minor(s): Criminal Justice, Human Resource Management
What is your favorite band/group? The 502s, Noah Kahan, Taylor Swift, and The Lumineers
What is your favorite movie? My Best Friend’s Wedding
What is your favorite dessert? Pizookie!
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? The squirrels
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? The UB office! I’m literally always there, and I feel so welcomed there.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
When I was a sophomore, I used to work at La Casa as a program coordinator for work-study. The director, Lillian Castillas, tasked me with coming up with an event for Hispanic Heritage Month. I came up with the idea to bring AJ Mendez to IU to speak about mental health in minority communities. Since this event was fairly large for La Casa, she directed me to the Union Board. Once I found out about the board, their mission statement, and values, I quickly applied to be a director.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
Yes! Last year I was the Director of Mind and Body, and the year before that I was the Director of Out and About.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
My goals for 2024 are to create a supportive, fun, and inclusive board-wide community, to maintain DEIA in the Union, and to incorporate it into all programming. To provide directors with opportunities for personal and professional development and to create a space where all UB members feel recognized and appreciated.
Brayton Rose
Vice President of External Affairs
ubvpea@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major: Marketing
What is your favorite band/group? Coldplay
What is your favorite movie? Titanic
What is your favorite dessert? Bread Pudding
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? The beautiful outdoor spaces and the IU campus.
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? My favorite place in the IMU is the Union Board office. Not only is it the place where I get to study and get work done, but it’s also the place where I get to see my fellow Union Board directors and people involved with the Indiana Memorial Union.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
I found Union Board just days after getting to campus in my freshman year. I met some of the directors at the Involvement Fair, and decided to go to the first meetings for the films and marketing committees. After attending some Union Board events, I knew I had found the right fit and decided to continue my time with board!
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
I began Union Board just weeks after I came to campus to IU in 2021. After being a general committee member for my first semester, I became a marketing lead for the films committee. At the end of my sophomore year, I began my term as the Director of Lectures for the 114th Board, and I began my term as the Vice President of External Affairs for the 115th Board in January 2024.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
My goals as a UB Director in 2024 revolve around my position as the Vice President of External Affairs. With this position, I am hoping to streamline and expand the partnership and sponsorship opportunities for Union Board and assist my fellow directors in navigating strategic and meaningful relationships through event programming and governance.
Jasmine Fan
Director of Canvas Creative Arts
canvas@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major(s): Marketing, Business Analytics
Minor: Psychology
What is your favorite band/group? Taylor Swift
What is your favorite movie? Crazy Rich Asians
What is your favorite dessert? Macarons
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? The scenery
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? I love South Lounge, especially when the fireplace is on, because it feels super cozy and motivates me to study with the Hogwarts-like vibes.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
I have definitely gone to Union Board events ever since I was a freshman, but never paid much attention to which orgs were hosting the events. It wasn’t until I took a class with Sahir, and he texted our class group chat to vote for him in the Union Board election, that I started paying attention to Union Board and what the org was about. From there, I absolutely fell in love with Canvas. Despite being someone who had a strong passion for the arts, I didn’t have much of an artistic outlet in my life. Therefore, when I saw the announcement about UB callout meetings, I went and applied to be a committee member on Canvas. That’s how I met the best org on campus and met some of the best people in my life.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
Before I became the Director for Canvas Creative Arts, I was first a committee member in Canvas, and then became the Assistant Director for Internal Communications under Brandon!
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
For Canvas, I’m hoping to not only continue exhibiting our UB values and extend our mission throughout our variety of events to educate, entertain, and empower students in their artistic selves, but to also put on a wide range of art events across various mediums. I hope to experiment with art mediums that we haven’t quite put on events for in the past and cater to every IU student’s needs with our events.
My hope is for committee members to see Canvas as an artistic outlet where they can explore different forms of art, while also using it to unleash their creativity for programming various events for both students and IU’s campus.
Khushi Sahi
Director of Concerts
concerts@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major: Neuroscience
Minor(s): Psychology, Spanish
What is your favorite band/group? The Neighbourhood
What is your favorite movie? La La Land
What is your favorite dessert? Ice cream
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? The people!
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? Other than the Union Board office, my favorite place in the IMU is the Starbucks seating area because it’s an easy place to meet friends, study, or relax between classes and there’s always good music playing.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
“One last ride! One last ride!” I vividly remember the determined chanting that took place at the end of the Cream and Crimson Carnival in hopes for the last few students to get one more spin on the carnival ride. After talking to their boss, the workers smiled and let us all on for one final go. The few students that remained looked at each other in achievement and started talking and cracking jokes to one another, oddly bonded in their desperate chants. My friends and I squished into one seat and could not stop laughing, smiling, and trying to high five the workers as we went around on our final spin that night. That was the day I understood not only why Union Board held events like these, but also, why I wanted to get involved. Granted, this was not my first Union Board experience, as I had made some of the best memories watching Hasan Minhaj and listening to Weston Estate. However, after that night I took a minute to reflect on all the events I had attended and realized how they impacted everybody. I wanted to help others feel the same sense of community and enjoyment I did.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
Prior to this year I actually had no involvement with Union Board directly, other than attending events. With some friends in Union Board I realized I had the opportunity to join which led me to apply.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
I hope to continue Union Board’s concerts legacy by bringing more great up-and-coming artists, as well as big names. Some events I aim to achieve, other than overall great concerts, are bringing back Block Party (concert during welcome week) for freshmen, hosting a lecture event with somebody from the music industry, a festival style event, and, most importantly, being mindful of the diversity of artists we bring!
Anagha Kumar
Director of Culinary Arts
culinary@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major: Accounting, Finance
What is your favorite band/group? The Lumineers
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? Lan Ramen
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? UB office!
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
I actually heard about Union Board through one of our lectures with Hasan Minhaj. I was really excited attending the event and wanted to be a part of this. One of my friends was already on board and introduced me to a bunch of events and directors and I immediately decided to join as a director!
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
I was serving as the Co-Director of Films and Entertainment for 2023.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
Increasing overall access to food and different cultures, while emphasizing education through cooking.
Yash Jain
Director of Films & Entertainment
ubfilms@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major: Epidemiology
Minor: Statistics
What is your favorite band/group? Radiohead
What is your favorite movie? Sound of Metal
What is your favorite dessert? Ice cream
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? My Thai
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? My favorite place in the IMU is the Union Board office. It’s always a quiet place to study and do work but also meet some friends and other Union Board Directors.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
I remember my freshman year, during a time of feeling really homesick, when an advertisement caught my eye. It was for a showing of “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” hosted by the Union Board. My father loved that movie and would often play it at home, seeing this brought a wave of comfort over me. I decided to attend and found myself amidst many familiar faces, and soon-to-be friends, all immersed in the movie. I think it was in that moment, laughter and shared glances mingling in the air, that Indiana University started to feel like a second home. I belonged here. I had realized being part of the Union Board wasn’t just about organizing events; it was about crafting memories and building a supportive community.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
I was an assistant director of Films and Entertainment last year.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
Create more events catered towards diverse groups of people. Be able to combine my passion for films and filmmaking with the events my committee hosts this year.
Sahir Mir
Director of Films & Entertainment
ubfilms@indiana.edu
Year: Junior
Major(s): Finance, Business Analytics
Minor: Theatre & Drama
What is your favorite band/group? Weston Estate
What is your favorite movie? The Social Network
What is your favorite dessert? Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? The people!
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? The Tudor Room because of the great desserts.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
I have always been interested in film, and discovered Union Board after seeing a poster for a free movie showing of Napoleon Dynamite in the Whittenberger Auditorium. I immediately joined the Films Committee, and soon after joined UB as a Director, where I discovered the far-reaching impact UB members could make on students beyond film.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
Prior to this year, I served as the 114th Vice President of Finance. Before that, I was the 113th Co-Director of Films & Entertainment. I also served a brief term on the 112th Board as the Director of Comedy.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
1) Foster DEIA
2) Aid aspiring creatives in navigating the entertainment industry through career development and networking events
3) Build community
Alexandros Chatzipanagos
Director of Lectures
ubspeaks@indiana.edu
Year: Sophomore
Major(s): Computer Science, Economics
What is your favorite band/group? Coldplay
What is your favorite movie? Everything Everywhere All at Once
What is your favorite dessert? Galaktoboureko
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? The people.
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? South Lounge – The coziest couches.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
The 114th Union Board President, Gabriella Couloubaritsis, introduced me to UB. She is to blame.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
No.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
I plan to organize amazing events that cater to most people and help other directors fulfill their committee goals.
Aditya Lahiri
Director of Marketing
ubmarket@iu.edu
Year: Sophomore
Major: Public Financial Management
Minor: Business
What is your favorite band/group? Arctic Monkeys
What is your favorite movie? La La Land
What is your favorite dessert? Cheesecake
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? The Dave’s Hot Chicken! (and the fact that most of the campus is walkable)
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? I love the fireplace area. I used to hang out there my Freshman year to get some work done and get dinner after that.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
The IMU was the first building I visited when I moved in (my Dad was staying at the Biddle). I remember noticing the UB Directors pictures and I was intrigued to learn more about it. I remember going to a UB film series, my friends and I watched Interstellar and it was an amazing experience. I then joined UB as a general member and eventually transitioned to a Director.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
I was a general member for Fall ’23!
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
Selling more Peach Pit tickets!!!!
Other than that, ensuring that the UB brand is more synonymous with the IMU and campus. I also want to market stronger to upperclassmen to ensure that they still think campus is relevant even if they don’t live on campus anymore.
Elisabeth Melms
Mind & Body Director
ubbam@indiana.edu
Year: Sophomore
Major: Policy Analysis
Minor(s): Economics and Political Science
What is your favorite band/group? Alex G or Big Thief
What is your favorite movie? Everything Everywhere All at Once
What is your favorite dessert? Tiramisu or any coffee and chocolate combo
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? Fourth Street! I don’t have access to so many different cuisines back home.
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? Inside: The chair right next to the fireplace in the South Lounge. Ideal for napping. Comfy. Safe. Slightly hidden away. Outside: The tables outside of The Vault (when it’s nice out). Pretty view. Shade. Also slightly hidden away.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
Roomie association… My housemate was Concerts director on 114 and serves as LFB Director this board! She was always running around doing some sort of UB event and I could really see how it was such a safe and tight-knit community for her. Meeting her UB friends and co-directors outside of an official UB setting was such a sweet way to dip my toe in the water. I was able to meet a lot of directors and get to know them as people and how kind and awesome they all were before I ever formally thought about working alongside them as a director myself!
Last year as a freshman I really struggled to find any sort of org. on campus that was creating tangible change for students and was actually committed to changing campus and wasn’t just some sort of surface-level resume booster. Through roomie exposure I learned more about the program and how committed it was to bettering the student experience. I knew my values aligned well with the mission and I was seeking any sort of real involvement on campus, so I applied! And they let me in! Yippee!
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
I worked a bit with concerts committee, but wasn’t super involved. I knew I wanted to join and felt my abilities would serve the board well as a director. Took a risk and applied without a ton of previous experience with UB!
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
I really want to ensure the board focuses on sustainability measures throughout campus and works to foster a better community with open communication on campus. I think right now we’re in a very fragile and polarized and political state, and programming gives us the really unique chance to lead events on campus that teach us to be more mindful about the impact we’re leaving behind, both in our physical natural environment and in the way we treat each other. College campuses have long been the centers for self expression and new and creative ideas, and I think UB has the potential to tap into that and amplify student voices in a really meaningful way.
Minseo Kim
Director of Out & About
ubtrips@iu.edu
Year: Sophomore
Major(s): Biotechnology, Neuroscience
Minor(s): Biology, Chemistry, Psychology
What is your favorite band/group? VOILÀ
What is your favorite movie? The Greatest Showman
What is your favorite dessert? Taiyaki
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? Kirkwood! It’s so close to campus, and it’s so fun running into little shops I never knew existed here!
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? Starbucks Lounge and the UB office 🙂 So cozy and welcoming, and all the hardworking students motivate me to get a move on when I’m in a slump!
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
I actually had no idea what Union Board until a close friend told me that I should apply! I knew I wanted to get more involved on campus, and I was always pointing out ways the events we were going to could’ve been better. As soon as I found out about UB, it felt so perfectly aligned with what I wanted to do!
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
Nope! First time with Union Board 🙂
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
As someone who understands that it’s not the tests you take but the experiences you create outside of school that really shape your college years, my goal is to make it easy for student to access events outside of Bloomington at affordable costs, providing them with opportunities to create lasting memories of their time as IU students.
Danielle DeSawal
Faculty Representative
What is your favorite band/group? Shania Twain
What is your favorite movie? The Cat From Outer Space
What is your favorite dessert? All the sweets
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? Community
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? Any place where I see students finding community together!
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
As an undergraduate at Colorado State University, I served as our Union Board Chair. The college union has a special place in my heart and I went on to work for the Association of College Unions International as their Educational Program Coordinator. As a faculty member in the School of Education, I noticed a gap in the literature about the significance of the union on student success. It is a pleasure to serve on the IMU Union Board and is truly one of my favorite services to IU.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
Not in a formal role.
David Miller
Alumni Representative
Year: 1970–1971
Major(s): Political Science, Law
Minor: History
What is your favorite band/group? Simon and Garfunkel or Glenn Yarborough—both of which UB brought to IU.
What is your favorite movie? The Longest Day
What is your favorite dessert? Flourless Chocolate Cake – Warm
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? Indiana University
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? The elevator (on the left) in the Biddle Hotel—I met the woman who would be my wife there—we were both 17 years old. The sitting area across from what was the KP Williams Dining Room on the second floor—we made the decision to get married during a very long conversation there. We were 18 years old.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
In January 1969 a fraternity brother, who was on UB, brought me to the Board office just to show me around—I was a freshman. People who were there were trying to get a bridge game started, I offered to play. My partner turned out to be Al Fields, then president of UB. As we played cards, he told me about Board and I got involved in the Model United Nations Committee. I worked on that committee Spring of 1969. In Fall 1969, the Board Director who was responsible for the committee did not return to school and I was asked to take his committee role. I was responsible for the Model UN the next two years, as well as summer Films Series and Duplicate Bridge, which was a UB program.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
See above.
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
To support UB in asserting and protecting its governance authority over IMU and UB. Supporting UB Directors as directors and decision makers. Building support among alumni for UB. Encouraging student-driven acquisition of art for IMU by culturally diverse artists.
Ja Quita Joy Roberts
Administrative Representative
What is your favorite band/group? Kem
What is your favorite movie? Coming to America, Black Panther
What is your favorite dessert? Cheesecake
What’s your favorite thing about Bloomington? It’s the best of both worlds… busy city life during the academic year and slow relaxing in the summers.
What’s your favorite place in the IMU and why? My favorite place is in the IMU Tudor Room, during brunch. The food is amazing, the pianist plays, and it’s usually really relaxing.
How did you get involved in Union Board? Was it an event? A person who influenced you? A desire to get involved? Tell your origin story.
I was recommended by a few people to the President at the time, Gabriella. The rest is history. As a student, I remember attending events. Of course, I’ve encouraged students to attend UB events and to take advantage of the opportunity to meet new people in a group setting.
How have you previously been involved with Union Board?
Previous director – Also, attended events, as an undergrad. (I’m an alum.)
What are your goals as a Union Board Director in 2024?
My goals as a Union Board Director in 2024 are to continue to do my best to make life easier for students, to help be a voice/advocate on situations, and provide any administrative help and guidance.
Leave a Reply