By Bianca Strzelczyk

As student government president, Erin Dayharsh set the standard for student activities on campus. Now, as an employee in the Student Activities Office, she will use her experience as a guide.

Dayharsh will assume the position of assistant director of campus activities, replacing Brooke Tempesta on Jan. 27.

“I have more responsibilities now,” said Tempesta, who will now be working with the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Council for University Programs (CUP) as well as with the Budget Review Committee (BRC) as Northeastern’s new director of campus activities and programs.

Dayharsh, who graduated in 2002, has had a lot of experience with the university.

“She is familiar with the institution and knows exactly where we are going,” Tempesta said.

A political science and modern science major at Northeastern, Dayharsh continued her education at Boston College, where she received a graduate’s degree in higher education administration. For the past three years, Dayharsh has worked in Boston University’s Student Activities Office. She accepted the position at Northeastern because she said she feels it is part of her personal growth, as well as a comfort zone for her.

“I think it comes down to fit,” Dayharsh said. “I feel confident this is something I can do.”

Dayharsh said she has many plans for the future of Northeastern.

“One of my main focuses is to sit down and talk to the students and see what is big on their agenda,” she said.

Dayharsh said she hopes to make the Student Activities Office more of a place where students can go and talk to her about what they want.

Dayharsh said she is also looking forward to seeing some of her former work on SGA and CUP put into action, such as the Student Activity Fund. She said she wants to see what is new with the program and how the money is being used.

Picking a new advisor took a good part of the fall semester, said Beth Rosenbleet, associate director of new student orientation and a memeber of the decision committee. After reviewing almost 80 applicants for the job, the selection committee, consisting of both staff and students, decided on three applicants, who then went through an entire day of interviews and presentations.

“We were looking for someone with experience in co-curricular program planning, an understanding of risk management, leadership training, contract negotiation and demonstrated ability to work with student populations,” Rosenbleet said.

In the end, Dayharsh beat her competition because of her knowledge of the campus, open personality and energy, Tempesta said. She said Dayharsh has the ability to take charge and is excited to work with her.

CUP President Allyson Savin said she is also looking forward to working with Dayharsh.

“Erin will know what is going on because she was at all these events before,” Savin said. “She knows the groups.”