What does Kirby Program Board do?
The purpose of Kirby Program Board is to produce consistently excellent events with the intent to entertain, involve, and educate the students of the University of Minnesota Duluth. We further strive to be a highly visible and inclusive organization that promotes a sense of school spirit and unity for all students at UMD and the community.
In our attempt to unify the student body, we work hard to ensure that we have not excluded anyone’s interests in our decision-making process. Kirby Program Board is committed to providing students who live on and off campus, entertaining and educational programming for their enjoyment throughout the year.
We bring in a variety of entertaining and educating events including:
- Concerts
- Movies
- Lectures
- Special Events
That means we want YOUR input, UMD! Tell us what you want!
How can I get involved? How do I join KPB?
Board membership is open to any UMD student, any major, any year. An interview is required and experience is a major plus but not required.
Kirby Program Board places high importance on training each individual board member to have the skills necessary for their position. This promotes longevity and successful functioning of each individual board.
New board members are hired at the beginning of the spring semester for the following year. After being hired, they go through a standard training procedure and spend the semester shadowing the board member whose position they will take. This gives them the opportunity to learn their roles in a safe environment. After they officially become part of the Kirby Program Board, two planning /programming retreats augment their knowledge and skills.
We also have committees for each program chair specifically so that students can get involved with our events and familiarize themselves with the board. Committee members may attend the weekly KPB meeting, help out at events, and suggest programming ideas. Additionally, the weekly board meetings are open to the entire student body to attend and express their opinions.
Are the events free? Who pays for the events?
Every KPB event is open and accessible for all UMD students, faculty, or staff members to attend, and over 90% of our events are free of charge. Some events will require you to bring your UMD Student ID (U-Card).
Kirby Program Board is a non-profit organization. We employ ticket sales only on our most expensive programming to offset the costs of the programming. All revenues generated go directly back into the KPB budget for future programming. We also seek financial help via grants from other departments. In the past, the Chancellor’s Office, First Year Experience, Late Night Kirby, and TCF Bank, have been generous enough to aid our funding and co-sponsor some of our events. The generous donations from these areas help us to provide top-notch entertainment and come greatly appreciated. We are also funded by UMD students paying a student services fee that is included in tuition charges.
Ask us!