Union Board president makes a difference

Walking through hordes of people, whose faces all blur together, students make their way through campus and arrive at intended destinations ' unaware of who or what they have passed.\nIn the hustle and bustle of everyday life it is often easy to forget who does all the things to make life on campus more exciting and invigorating. Most of the student body never have a chance to meet these people. \nBut with senior Mike Gosman's dedication to IU, he is bound to leave a legacy.\nGosman is a history major from Milwaukee, Wis. and has been the Union Board president since January. But he has been involved with the board since his freshman year when his older brother, an IU student, told him about UB as a way to get involved. Before he became president Gosman was on the lecture committee.\n"I have had a really positive experience with Union Board, and I got to coordinate the Bob Knight lecture, which hadn't occurred for five years," Gosman said. "I got to announce Bob Knight at Assembly Hall mid-way through my sophomore year, which was the first time I spoke in public. After I was involved with that I was hooked. My fate was sealed to get more involved with the board."\nUnion Board is the largest student programming board on campus that plans all types of events, Gosman said. A few of the areas UB concentrates on are concerts, lectures, films, Late Night at the IMU, Live from Bloomington and more.\nGosman said he has many goals left to obtain during his time as president.\n"One of my goals is to create as wide of a variety of programs as I can since there are over 30,000 students," he said. "I want there to be a program that every student can identify with on campus. What gives me the greatest pleasure is looking at the audience at our events and seeing people gaining something from being there."\nHe would also like to increase awareness of UB, and what they are all about, he said.\n "When someone sees that it is a Union Board event, I want it to be something that they will want to attend," Gosman said. "My hope is that when students leave this campus, and when they look back, they will remember the events like the forum."\nVaughn W. Allen, a junior and director of public relations for UB, said Gosman is a hard worker and very professional at his job.\n "When you look around at the new things Union Board has done this year ' IU Late Night, Late Night busing, IDS columns, relations with administration, IDS coverage and several projects that are in progress, you can see how much he has contributed," Allen said. "Largely because of his tireless work, Union Board will be a stronger organization than it was when he got here. We are lucky to have such a leader."\nOthers give credit to him for their positive experiences with UB.\n"He was my first contact with Union Board last year, and he soon became one of the closest people I worked with," said sophomore Justin Guild, director of Campus Forum for UB. "I am quite sure that if it wasn't for Mike, my position on Union Board today or the experiences I have shared with others while being on the board would not exist. He has this tremendous ability to motivate others and see what it is they are striving for."\nThis job keeps him busy, but Gosman still makes time for academics, a social life and sports. He loves IU basketball and the Green Bay Packers.\n"It's a balancing act," he said. "When I have less time to do things, I make better use of my time."\nAllen said he is good at everything on and off of the job.\n"What's funny about Mike is that he appears to be such a teddy bear," Allen said. "So whenever we'd compete, at pool, cards, basketball or anything else, I'd expect to beat him. But he handily defeats me every time. The guy's just good at everything."\nHis friends see him as a happy guy who is always willing to help others.\n"I have known Mike for about 2 1/2 years now, and he is one of the best friends I have met at college," Ken House, vice president for programming, said. "He is entertaining, outgoing, and always has a smile on his face. He is someone I can trust and count on to get the job done."\nSenior Jeff Zuckerman, concerts director for UB, said he is hilariously funny.\n"His wit is so subtle, it often passes over a head or two, but eventually we all end up in stitches," Zuckerman said.\nIn spite of the busy schedule, Gosman maintains he has never lost sight of what he is here to do, Allen said.\n"He's never hogged the spotlight or sought recognition. It's as though he never did this for himself; it feels like he did all of this for the sake of Union Board and for the betterment of the IU campus," Allen said. "Mike has been truly selfless, and I have a profound respect for him"