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Activities sponsored by the Student Activities Council at Northwest foster student engagement, explore interests and help students build friendships outside of their classrooms. (Northwest Missouri State University)
Northwest Missouri State University’s Student Activities Council (SAC) will welcome a magician, a change-making speaker and a comedian during its fall lineup of events.
The fall schedule features Savio Joseph as part of Family Weekend activities on Friday, Sept. 27. Payton Head, who spearheaded conversations about improving race relations in the state of Missouri, will share his experiences on Thursday, Oct. 3. Then, comedian Mike E. Winfield will appear at Northwest on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Each event begins at 7 p.m. in the Charles Johnson Theater at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building. They are free and open to the public.
“The Northwest Student Activities Council is committed to creating a vibrant campus community this fall by offering events that foster student engagement, inclusivity and fun,” said Natasha Metzger, a senior animal science major from Papillion, Nebraska, who serves as SAC president. “Whether you’re looking to make new friends, explore new interests or simply take a break from your studies, our events offer something for everyone. Attending SAC events is a great way to get involved and make the most of your college experience.
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In addition to its lineup of speakers, SAC organizes a variety of social and recreational activities for students throughout the academic year. Activities this fall include a craft night from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom as well as the organization’s popular Grocery Bingo event from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, and Late Night at the Rec from 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Student Recreation Center.
SAC also will host a Lego Night from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Student Union Ballroom.
SAC plans and administers activities for Northwest students to contribute to a more well-rounded social, recreational and cultural life for the campus and community. The organization provides entertaining alternatives to students with late-night activities and events throughout the year, including concerts, lectures, movies and comedians.
Details about its speaking guests are provided below. For more information, contact SAC at 660.562.1226 or saclect@nwmissouri.edu.
Savio Joseph
A magician, mentalist and hypnotist, Savio Joseph is a first-generation Indian-Canadian who took a strong interest in magic at a young age. He slowly developed his skills of mentalism, pickpocketing, sleight of hand and hypnosis and uses those skills today to provide audiences with laughs, intriguing conversations and lasting memories.
Most notably, Savio was the only magician to appear as a finalist on ”Canada’s Got Talent,” winning over a star-studded lineup of judges and the millions of viewers who tuned in live every week.
He also has been featured by MacLean’s magazine, TEDx, CTV and Breakfast Television. He has worked with corporations that include Remax, CIBC, Electro Federation and with personalities including Grammy-nominated Jessie Reyez, Cordae, Serge Ibaka, Andrew Schulz and Marvel superhero Simu Liu.
Payton Head
Payton Head is invested in developing institutional cultures that are grounded in equity. He empowers students and campus administrators to fight hatred with radical love for others and themselves. He details the adversities caused by race, gender and sexual orientation discrimination, and proven solutions to facilitate open dialogue and embrace marginalized communities.
After the events of 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, he spearheaded conversations about improving race relations in the state. His viral Facebook post detailing his experience with fighting systemic injustice at the University of Missouri-Columbia ignited the student body to fight for a more inclusive campus and be a change agent in higher education.
In 2016, with a passion for the theory of education and action to affect change, in partnership with the National Campus Leadership Council and the U.S. Dept. of Education, he co-authored a guide for student leaders on strategy for addressing inclusion at educational institutions. He presents to university communities nationwide about the importance of creating a culture of acceptance.
He spent the summer of 2018 in Amsterdam and at the European Parliament in Strasbourg analyzing the rise of populism in the West. He also traveled to Israel and Palestine and learned from activists and lawmakers in Ramallah and Jerusalem about American solidarity in the ongoing conflict. In 2019, he was selected to address the African Union and United Nations in Dakar, Senegal, advocating for investment in youth initiatives that unite young people of African descent.
He has been featured on outlets, including “Melissa Harris-Perry,” MSNBC, CNN, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post and in Teen Vogue’s “How 3 Students Changed the Course of History at Their Schools.”
Head holds a bachelor’s degree in political science with certifications in leadership, multicultural and Black studies from the University of Missouri. He holds a master’s degree in public policy studies with certifications in global conflict and international development policy from the University of Chicago, where he served as communications director for UChicago’s Black Action in Public Policy Studies and program coordinator for the Inaugural Obama Foundation Scholar’s Master of Arts in International Development and Policy Program.
Mike E Winfield
With a comedy style that is refreshing and relatable, Mike E Winfield escaped the rough streets of Baltimore to pursue comedy in California – remembering how he found a gun under his Mom’s pillow as a child and thought, “I can’t wait for my teeth to fall out.”
He embraced it and accumulated credits that include “The Late Show with David Letterman,” a recurring role on NBC’s “The Office” and “Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo” on Netflix to go with an Emmy nomination and multiple movies in post-production.
He also fell in love and married an older woman with a child – which he says was a problem because he wasn’t ready to be a husband and made many mistakes in the marriage. He has since learned and developed a bond with his stepson, whom he jokingly refers to as “StepMAN” because they’re close in age. He takes the ups and downs in his life and marriage and turns them into jewels he releases on stage.
