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L.
Maximilian Buja Darla
Brown David
Bates Roy
Prichard Ester
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Lights . Camera
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This year's two-hour skit featured dancing faculty members (including Dean Max Buja) in a Britney Spears' number, a performance by the boy band "98.6 Degrees," a Medical School game show, and a finale "You Will Survive" (as encouragement to the newbies) sung by second-year student Latricia Thompson to the Gloria Gaynor tune, "I Will Survive." The onstage performances were interspersed with taped vignettes, including a UT-Houston Medical School version of the movie "Rudy;" MTV's "The Osbournes," featuring faculty members Roger and Dr. Diane Bick in the leading roles; and a tour of Dean Buja's home for an episode of "MTV Cribs." "The dimensions the students are able to tap and bring forward are most heroic," Dr. Strobel said. "These hidden talents just emerge - everyone has a satchel full of gifts." From the skit and Saturday night dance party to the registration and transportation, the entire retreat is led by more than 30 volunteer second-year students known as the Janitors Committee. The members of this committee volunteer part of their spring and summer semesters to head the different committees responsible for each segment of the retreat. "Every committee is really key because there are such large responsibilities that if even one falters, it is significant and very noticeable," said Craig Messick, president of the second-year class, which is traditionally the leadership role for the retreat. "I actually had two other coretreat chairs who helped me out in the general organization and to keep my stress level at a minimum." The Janitors Committee meets at Dr. Strobel's house during the summer, just as in the earliest days of the retreat. Key positions include the Grand Matrixer, who is in charge of assigning every second-year volunteer a task in every time slot; the Schlepper King, who moves everything, from people to beverages, where it needs to go; and his assistant, the Schlepper Prince. More than 100 second-years volunteer to help out with the retreat. "The planning, believe it or not, begins the moment the first-years get on the busses and head back to Houston after the retreat. There were several ideas for this retreat that came up from our bus ride home last year," Messick said. "In February, the Janitors Committee is formed and the organization, planning and general ideas for theme of retreat begin to come together - this is rather time consuming in order to be original. The major part of skit is undertaken in the summer and that is when most people get involved." The hard work pays off. "Every year the retreat and the skit get better - it's very competitive among the classes, and each year they raise the stakes," Dr. Strobel said. "It is organized down to the wire, and the first-years are always surprised to see how much work goes into it." . . . Page 3 |
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