The People Who Make “Great Names” Great
The Sacerdote Great Names series, which began in 1996, is a major campus production that brings global leaders in government, entertainment, the world of sports, and more to College Hill.
Whether it’s setting up thousands of chairs in the Field House, organizing shuttle buses for guests, adapting to last-minute changes, or keeping the camera focused and the crowd moving, everyone involved shares the same goal: creating a welcoming, seamless experience for thousands of attendees.
In the stories and first-person reflections below, the people who work on Great Names share what it takes to “make each event more memorable than the last.”
“The whole process does not start as early as you would think. I usually start putting a list together in May or June for the following academic year. On the day of the event, I will camp out in the field house and work on any final setup. Setup happens all day, whether it’s the chairs, the lighting and sound, or coordinating with President Tepper’s office to make sure he is on time. The hope is that, on the day of, the Great Names team has done enough preparations so it’s just putting out little fires.
“I love coordinating for different reasons. I love the challenge of booking the speakers because it takes a lot of persistence and a lot of relationship building. Booking the speakers and putting on the event kind of go hand in hand, though, because I think Hamilton’s preparation and follow through on the event has really bolstered our reputation, which then convinces more speakers to come here. Both aspects of my role are really connected and they strengthen one another.
“When it comes to the event itself, the weather is always an x-factor. One year it snowed, and the floor was slippery, and the buses could not get up and down the hill. As the coordinator, you have to be able to adjust in the moment, which is always a challenge. At the end of the night, it is always just a feeling of relief and pure joy.”
For more than four decades, Tim Hicks has stood just out of view, quietly orchestrating Great Names from behind a camera or in a booth.
Director of Hamilton’s Audiovisual Services, Hicks started at the college when “AV” meant slide projectors and reel-to-reel film. “It used to be operators standing behind a camera with the zoom,” he laughs, “now it’s a tripod that we’re running by a remote control.”
The evolution of AV has mirrored the growing scale of Great Names. “When Great Names first started, AV did it all,” Hicks reminisces. However, his team now coordinates with large production companies to meet the demands of thousands of attendees.
“As the events got to 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 people, we couldn’t handle the sound anymore,” Hicks explained. Now, he supervises the sound company that is hired while focusing on the video components of the event — providing the screens and keeping the livestream running smoothly for the thousands watching online.
His team is discreetly set up behind the curtains stage-left, a makeshift TV studio quietly keeping everything in motion. They may not be in the spotlight, but they make sure it’s always hitting the stage. “You learn to anticipate everything,” he says, “You can’t just say to everybody, ‘Oh, wait, give me five minutes.’” It takes sharp eyes, but Hicks and his team spend the day running tests and making sure that issues are fixed long before they have a chance to arise.
Beyond technical feats, collaboration is key. His team works with carpenters, electricians, and speakers to place furniture and set spotlights for the perfect sightlines. After 43 years, Hicks and his team continue to show up quietly, precisely, and attentively — just out of frame but keeping Great Names perfectly in frame.
As the day shift patrol supervisor for Campus Safety, Kelle Chrysler is used to juggling logistics, managing people, and responding to whatever the day might bring. But when Great Names rolls around, her job shifts into overdrive.
Chrysler has helped plan three Great Names events during her eight years in the role. From clearing parking lots to creating detailed safety plans, her goal is simple: “Get through the night with no issues.” Chrysler coordinates with the events team and facilities to ensure that parking runs smoothly and guests remain safe. Amidst all the planning and pressure, Chrysler values teamwork. “I love working with the other departments,” she says. “Everyone comes together for the same goal and it’s amazing to see.” Once that happens, Chrysler has a moment of quiet relief: “Seeing everybody have a good time and be safe brings great satisfaction to me.” She can confidently know that the weeks of planning and collaboration have paid off.
“I’ve been part of the Great Names team since it’s been running. I started out on the electrical end, doing the lighting for the speakers, and then I switched over to the shuttle buses with a colleague of mine. I’ve been coordinating the shuttle buses on my own though for about five years now.
“The shuttle buses are for people that are coming from off-campus to the event. There are seven parking lots we stop at including the Skenandoa Golf Club, the four at Clinton schools, the Norton Avenue pool, and the Clinton Arena when the event is big enough, which this one is. I’m concerned with making sure that the route on and off campus does not get congested. We also help ensure that community members get to the event on time and are comfortable.
“I have to start planning for the event in January or February. The hardest part about coordinating the shuttles is making sure the bus drivers understand the routes and that making sure everyone knows what parking lot they are parked in. I’ve had people get on the wrong bus back, and I’ve had to take a college vehicle to get them back to the right parking lot.
“On the night of the event, I move around to all the parking lots to make sure everything runs smoothly. Sometimes I’ll ride the buses and talk to community members attending the event. I like meeting the different people who come to the event, and they always feel grateful that the College offers these events and that we are there to help them. At the end of the night, I feel like I’ve accomplished something really good that a lot of people got to appreciate.”
“Before the event, my main job is to organize everything related to the ushers. The operations team sends out an email to Hamilton’s faculty and staff to hire ushers, who we train in crowd control. Then, I diagram and color-code everything so that we know where all the ushers need to be and where all the different seating sections are. I also do any reservations we might need for spaces. My favorite part of this role is being able to collaborate with all the people we hire as ushers because I normally don’t get to meet a lot of people around campus.
“Every day, I work with Lisa Magnarelli, Dannelle Parker, and Elizabeth Spaziani. Some people around campus call us the ‘dream team. So, I think part of what makes big events exciting is that the four of us get to put our different skill sets to great use. The way we function as a team is really apparent when we do big events, and it's exciting to see our strengths play out in real time.
“During the event, I stand in the field house with my binder and make notes of everything that is going on. I make sure to communicate with the floaters and ushers because they give more information that I may miss while I am running around. After the event, we have a whole operations team meeting so that we can improve for next time.
“Great Names is exhilarating, I have to say. When you are standing in the back and the program starts and people are clapping, the excitement in the room is just so thrilling. It’s also special because we pull it together in such a short timeframe. To see everyone’s work coming to fruition in one night is very exciting.”
“I went to my first Great Names event in 2006, and now ushering is a big part of what I do on campus. I’ve been ushering for 15 years, so there is not a lot I have to prepare for anymore. In a crowd of 5,000 people, however, I guess you have to prepare for pretty much anything.
I’m a “floater” on the night of the event. So, my night will look like wandering around the event space and answering any questions the other ushers have. I carry papers with me that will help direct people toward special seating because you have to know where all the different groups are supposed to sit, like Hamilton students and the trustees. I really enjoy working with the other ushers; it’s a good group of people.
I appreciate all the speakers for different reasons. The entertainers are always really good, including Tina Fey and Aretha Franklin. I also really enjoyed John Stewart, the comedian. At the end of the night, you’re kind of emotionally exhausted. It is draining because there is a lot going on, but since it’s such a good event, it’s worth it.”
Great Names Usher
By day, Maureen Scoones is the associate director of library and IT finance and resources. But on the night of Great Names, she puts on a different hat as an usher.
“The usher role has always been there for the safety of attendees,” explains Scoones, “for their safety and comfort.” Whether it be greeting guests, assisting those with accessibility needs, or stepping in if anything goes wrong, ushers are ever-present and ever-important. Scoones has been a Great Names usher for over 10 years now. While the job may look simple, her responsibilities go deeper than just seating. Ushers are briefed on emergency procedures and prepared to act quickly if anything unexpected happens. “The field house has never had to be evacuated,” she says, “but we are responsible and ready to handle any emergency that happens.”
For Scoones, ushering is a way to engage with the campus and broader community. “It’s about making connections with people,” she explains. “I get to meet people and use a set of skills that aren’t change management or budget-related!” Scoones says her favorite interactions with attendees are when they ask to get closer and she jokingly quips that she can get them on the stage.
While Scoones can’t actually get people on the stage, she’s looking forward to this year’s Great Names event. She explains that while there’s a lot of coordination, ushers remain steady as a resource for the audience. “I may not always know the answer,” she says, “but I know someone who does.” Her top tip for attendees? “Know where the bathrooms are!”
If you don’t see John Vaughan or his crew at Great Names, that means everything is going exactly as it should. In charge of managing the College’s athletics grounds, Vaughan and his team play a central role in transforming the Margaret Bundy Scott Field House — which normally houses Hamilton’s basketball, tennis, and volleyball teams — into a world-class venue for Great Names. “We’re usually the first ones in and the last ones out,” he says, describing a whirlwind of setup in the days leading up to the event: keeping the field house clear, hauling out the stage, arranging thousands of chairs, coordinating lifts, ushering for the handicap section, and supporting the carpenters, AV, and electricians.
Vaughan’s been working Great Names for 35 years, and in that time, he’s watched the operation evolve into a well-oiled machine. “Everybody’s got their part, and we all work together so well,” he says. “There’s always two sides to it, though: The last-second changes, or occasional difficulty with the speakers. But, we learn to expect it and roll with it.” Vaughan has high praise for his team: “My guys are great. They know how to adapt, catch things, and suggest improvements.”
Despite schedule conflicts and last-minute changes to the seating or stage, Vaughan and his team always make Great Names happen with quiet pride: “We have a huge sense of pride and ownership. It’s an honor to sit back and know your crew was part of it; to see all the guests smiling and enjoying themselves.”
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