Minister of Culture

The Minister of Culture of The Commonplace Society of Berkeley College is vitally important to the success of the Society. The Minister should be someone who is spirited, authentic, and able to encourage others to rise to their own potential as members of the Society. The Minister of Culture works in close collaboration with the Master of Ceremonies so that both individuals can create a festive environment for seniors as they make their academic presentations before their fellow classmates.

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. It is a chance for seniors, who may have lost touch with members of their Berkeley class, to reignite friendships and forge academic and interdisciplinary partnerships. Toward that end, the Minister of Culture should establish creative venues for seniors to get to know one another, and should make every effort to get to know the members of the Society throughout the year, so that they can help foster this kind of festive social and intellectual exchange. In general terms, the Minister of Culture is the keeper of the spirit of the Society. Through their own enthusiasm, the Minister of Culture will encourage an atmosphere of spirited fun and relaxation among the members.

The Minister of Culture is in charge of the Commonplace Society Kudos Kup. Prior to each meeting, the Minister of Culture places small pieces of paper and pens on the tables so that throughout the evening members can note milestones that they or their fellow members reach during their senior year. Members can also write a quick, thoughtful note to someone in the Society. The notes are read by the Minister of Culture between presentations and during dessert.

The Minister of Culture should also provide music to kick off each evening. This can be either recorded or live music. If there are members of the society who play instruments and who would be willing to offer 20 minutes of music at the start of the evening, it is the job of the Minister of Culture to find those individuals and to invite them to play.

The Minister of Culture should also note the birthdays of the members of the Society prior to the first meeting so that these can be duly toasted by the MC as close to the date as possible.

As a member of the Commonplace Society Leadership Council, the Minister of Culture will need to arrive 30 minutes prior to each event in order to help set up the room for the evening. He or she is in charge of acquiring decorations for the Mendenhall Room; providing a bowl, paper and pens for the Kudos Kup; and providing music.

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