Master of Ceremonies

The Master of Ceremonies of The Commonplace Society of Berkeley College is vitally important to the success of the Society. The MC should be someone who is organized, genuine, spirited, and able, through their own presence, to allow others to feel comfortable at the meetings of the Society.

The purpose of the Berkeley Commonplace Society is to serve as a supportive and festive venue for seniors to share their intellectual and artistic pursuits with their fellow college classmates. Toward that end, the MC should encourage toasts among seniors so that members get to know one another better, and should make every effort to get to know the members of the Society throughout the year.

In general terms, the MC should see themself as the anchor for the Society. The MC kicks off the evening with a welcome and serves as the touchstone for the rest of the evening’s toasts and events. The MC should also reserve some time during dinner for members just to chat with one another.

The MC is the keeper of the time throughout the meeting. It is the job of the Advertising & Communications coordinator to encourage individuals to arrive to gatherings on time so that when the MC offers welcoming remarks, the majority of members are in attendance. The MC will bring a watch to each meeting and will help make sure meetings start and end on time, and that transitions between toasts and presentations are as seamless as possible. The MC will also have warning cards to alert presenters to the amount of time left in their presentations.

The MC will begin every meeting by introducing the wine stewards. After one of the Wine Stewards has finished introducing the wine, the MC will encourage further toasts in the room (perhaps by toasting a member). The MC might also invite a member to toast someone in the room, their roommate, or someone to whom they are grateful. After dinner and at the end of the first presentation, the MC will announce the Dessert Steward who will describe the evening’s desserts.

The MC is expected to announce the individuals who will be introducing the presenters, and it is the job of the MC to know their names. The MC will help to open and close each of the presentations by thanking the previous presenter and welcoming the next introducer. The evening ends with concluding remarks offered by either the MC or by someone the MC has designated.

As a member of the Commonplace Society Leadership Council, the MC will need to arrive 30 minutes prior to each event in order to help.

-A A +A