Eastern earned the top spot this weekend as members of the Residence Hall Association traveled to Naperville for the annual Illinois Residence Hall Association conference.

The RHA committee presented their bid on Saturday in hopes of hosting the 2011 IRHA conference on Eastern’s campus.

Eastern’s bid presentation included details about housing for guests, dining options, entertainment ideas and a tentative agenda for the weekend.

The committee was also involved in a 10 minute question-and-answer session, along with a discussion of the pros and cons of having the conference at Eastern.

The outcome of the bid presentation was kept secret until an announcement was made at the banquet later on in the evening.

Julia Novotny, RHA co-chair, said the reaction to the announcement was immediate excitement.

“We were proud to see all of our hard work pay off,” Novotny said. “It was great seeing everyone’s appreciation of what we have done.”

Winning the bid benefits are Eastern’s RHA, its members and the campus as a whole.

“Hosting the IRHA conference will improve Eastern’s communication on a state level,” said RHA president Karla Browning. “The conference brings in people from across Illinois and it has been a few years since they have come to Eastern.”

Novotny said the conference will show off Eastern’s campus and new renovations.

“It gives people a chance to see what our campus has been up to,” Novotny said.

Having the conference on campus will give attendees an idea of what IRHA conferences have to offer and how they benefit all who attend.

RHA is thrilled to have won the award, but must continue their hard work in order to make sure next year’s conference goes as planned.

Members of RHA must now confirm their bid plans with hotels, the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union and dining services.

The annual IRHA conference will be held February 18-20, 2011.

Nicole Mangiaracina can be reached at 581-7942 or [email protected]