The sounds of guitars being revved up and drums put together are being made in the background.
Sitting in a chair in the Iowa Memorial Union, Abbey Gesing looks over to the sounds in the Main Ballroom.
The Roots are coming to perform in Iowa City and SCOPE, University of Iowa’s Student Commission on Programing and Entertainment, is putting on the show.
Gesing, a junior from Cedar Rapids, IA, has been involved with SCOPE since her freshmen year. Previously being involved with choir and show choir in high school led her to join SCOPE.
“I was really worried about being bored in college and I have always been an avid music listener so I decided to join,” said Gesing.
SCOPE, a student-run organization, brings various musical acts to the Iowa City area including: Jack’s Mannequin, B.o.B, Matt Nathanson, Big Boi, Iron and Wine, and many more. It also is an organization that allows the students to interact within a business atmosphere by dealing with production, marketing, finance, hospitality, and talent buying.
As the hospitality coordinator for SCOPE, Gesing has a lot of responsibility dealing with band members and managers.
“My main duties as a hospitality coordinator is to make sure that the band members are comfortable,” said Gesing, whose favorite concerts have been Radiohead and Taking Sara. “Usually it involves setting up the dressing room, purchasing food, driving them from the hotel room to the stage, and just getting them anything they need.”
“It really is an all day event for us.”
With all the different type of bands and artists that have performed for SCOPE, Gesing’s favorite has more to do with the band’s personality than the music itself.
“Temptations would defiantly be my favorite band to work for,” said Gesing. “It’s a homecoming show so it’s an all day event, setting up and such, and they have been in the music business for so long that they were relaxed and really fun.”
“A lot of the time the bands can be stuck up and are hard to communicate with, it’s just nice to get somebody that is real and that will talk to you.”
As a Communications major and a Psychology minor, Gesing hopes to go to grad school for counseling after graduation. After graduation school, she hopes to take her talents over seas.
“It has always interested me in teaching health aid prevention or English in countries like Asia or Europe.”
When Gesing is not helping SCOPE, she can be seen working 20 hours a week at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics Guest Services or volunteering at Four Oaks, an afterschool program.
With all these activities that Gesing has been involved with, SCOPE has influenced her life greatly.
“I have met so many of my friends through this organization, also I have learned time management skills,” said Gesing. “SCOPE allows me to do something besides just school.”
“It defiantly has changed my life.”
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Iowa chapter.