ESSO Turns Over

ESSO has selected and announced their student board for 2014-2015, with uppers Sabrina Movitz and Saisha Talwar set to succeed seniors Yeji Jung and Flora Wang as co-heads. Other new members include Board Members at Large uppers Drew Goydan and Brooks Saltonstall, HFCC Coordinator lower Ariel Kim, Children’s Coordinator upper William Li, Off-Campus Coordinator upper Natasha Lim, Global/Peer Coordinator upper Jeanne Olivier and On-Campus Coordinator upper Dana Tung.ESSO coordinator Laurie Loosigian said that while there were less applicants than usual, the strength of each applicant was very strong. The group includes a new upper as well as members who have worked closely with the previous board, she noted.The new board was selected from a transition team made up of adults from the ESSO office, club advisors, Reverend Thompson and one student from the current board.The board applications were sent out prior to winter break and applicants answered a general set of written questions and then questions specific for the position they were applying for. “It asked about your ESSO and service experience, your involvement in Ex- eter activities and your leadership qualities,” said Board Member at Large Drew Goydan.After filling out their written application, the first round of decisions were made, and the selected applicants had a 15-minute interview with the transition team, after which final decisions were announced.Loosigian also spoke of experience among those working with publicity, which will help attain the goal of many new board members of expanding ESSO. “There’s a lot of experience on this board, especially with publicity,” Loosigian said, “ESSO will be getting a new brochure, which we’re very excited about.”Natasha Lim is the only new upper on the board. An interna tional student from Singapore, Lim has been involved with community service for years. “I strongly agree with the no- tion of non-sibi,” she said, “[I] believe that ESSO is an important part of my experience at Exeter because it allowed me to assimilate into the community while making new friends and memories.”“She’ll be on a steep learning curve,” Loosigian said, but added that she will be assisted by Goydan and Sabrina Movitz, who she said have extraordinary off-campus experience. Additionally, On-Campus Coordinator Dana Tung “has a solid background with publicity and [has] made numerous videos for ESSO this year,” according to Loosigian. Loosigian also comment- ed on the admirable recruiting abilities of Brooks Saltonstall, and exceptional work of Children’s Coordinator William Li.One unique obstacle the new board will face is the retire- ment of Loosigian, which is planned for March.Global/Peer Coordinator Jeanne Olivier hopes that the organization will be able to transition smoothly. “Even with Ms. Loosigian gone, we’ll have Ms. Costello in the office and she’s a real pillar of the ESSO office. And anyone who applies for Ms. Loosigian’s job will be right for the job, because they’ll have a clear interest in ESSO,” said Olivier.New board members interviewed seem most focused on expanding ESSO’s reach at Exeter, involving as many students as possible. “Those who don’t know much about ESSO are kind of left out and we’d really like to emphasize more all that we do and accomplish,” Olivier continued.Goydan agreed with Olivier, and specified some of the areas she would like ESSO to expand in. “Overall, in the future,I hope to cement and expand ESSO's presence here on campus,” Goydan said. “Among many things, I would like to offer more summer/break service opportunities, increase collaboration with the town of Exeter and improve the club head training process. In addition, I want to publicize the service work already being done by Exonians as they work to the school's idea of goodness.”