Think back into the chasm of your memories and recall a time in your life when you were submerged in bliss. Everything that could go well is doing so and the world is happy that you’re happy. This is similar to the feeling you would experience upon meeting Katie Batz for the first time.

Junior Communications Studies Major Katie Batz can be found at a number of different places on campus at any given moment throughout the day.

As Co-President of the Campus Activities Board (CAB) she is very often in the Gustie Den, but can also be seen in Bjorling Hall or Christ Chapel singing with the Gustavus Choir. Katie was also recently selected to be a co-chair on the council that organizes senior week in May.

Coming from a long line of Gusties, Katie Batz was destined to be a student at Gustavus since she was a wee lass, coming to Homecoming and Christmas in Christ Chapel in a stroller.

“I was the Batz child that was for sure going to go to Gustavus all the way since kindergarten,”  Katie said.

Both her parents, along with one grandparent and her brother, Senior Individualized Major, Ben Batz are all Gusties, and Katie is betting that her younger sister will eventually walk the campus as a student as well.

A graduate of Jefferson High School in Bloomington, Minn., Katie spent her high school years in the theatre performing musicals, the student council, show choir and a program called Pathfinders, which is “basically Gustie Greeters for Jefferson,” Katie said.

As co-president of CAB, Katie is behind much of what is happening on campus this year, including the big spring concert and various events taking place in the Courtyard Cafe and Alumni Hall.

“I’m most impressed by her energy and enthusiasm that is focused primarily on helping others; even in the Campus Activity Board she does an enormous amount of work to make the student experience at Gustavus better for everyone,” Communications Studies Professor Leila Brammer said.

Katie’s involvement stems outside of CAB to campus life with students both current and prospective.

“In my experience, whether in CAB, in the classroom, or in individual encounters with others, Katie is singularly devoted to helping others have a better experience,” Brammer said.

One of Katie’s long-term occupational goals is to be an event planner for companies or organizations, creating itineraries for work trips and vacations. Everything from plane tickets to snorkeling reservations would be chosen personally by Katie, who no doubt would be looking back to her experience as co-president of CAB for inspiration. “Basically I’d be doing CAB for grown ups,” Katie said.

Another one of Katie’s dream jobs is to be in charge of planning the kind of large-scale charitable fundraiser events seen on television.

“Katie is the kind of person that if you want to hang out, not only will she do it, but she’ll send a Facebook group about it and plan the entire thing because she’s totally committed to doing things she says she will,” Junior Sociology and Anthropology Major Anna Ayers Looby said.

Katie has also made an appearance onstage in Anderson Theatre during her first January Interim Experience in the musical, Urinetown, and can be seen in Christmas in Christ Chapel and other choir concerts singing in the Gustavus Choir.

She spent her first and sophomore year singing in the Chapel Choir and is continuing the Batz Family tradition of singing in the Gustavus Music Department.

“I’m looking now at a possibility of a music minor,” Katie said.

Katie works hard to get things done well and is very passionate about Gustavus and the happenings on campus.

“The thing I love about Gustavus is that on any given night there’s tons of things going on and anyone can go to them,” Katie said.

Gustavus is lucky to have Katie to help lead CAB in making this campus a more enjoyable and active environment.