RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — We are just one month away from the total solar eclipse, and city and state agencies are working hard to finalize details.
Arkansas Tech students are even stepping up to help with the historic event.
"It's going to be a really unique opportunity that we are excited to be part of," ATU Eclipse Committee Chair Susan West said.
As the total solar eclipse gets closer, some Arkansas Tech students are training for the big day and the influx of people expected on campus.
"We have several spots on campus that can be rented for people coming in from out of town," West said. "All of the money that we are raising is going to our RSOs, which are registered student organizations because they will be working with us for the event."
West said 60 out of 125 spots are reserved.
"We are very excited," West said. I feel very prepared. I trust our students, I trust the training that we're giving them, and I think it's just going to be a great event."
Students and fraternity brothers like John Highland and Garrett Womack, will work on campus during the eclipse.
Through their involvement in the student organization Resilience in Disasters and Emergencies, they've already received community emergency response team training.
"We will be helping out this weekend when all the other student organizations are being certified," Womack said.
The training covers various things, from first aid to natural disaster response.
"We're also going to be doing a big class on radio communication," Highland said. "So we're able to effectively communicate between our first responders on campus, all of the people working on the Eclipse Committee during the four-day stint that we'll be working here on campus."
They said that while preparing for the worst and hoping for the best, they plan to have a good time.
"Everyone's looking at it just like one big slumber party, I guess, to hang out with everybody on campus for four days," Highland said. "It'll be a fun time."
Between 10 and 15 student organizations are working on campus throughout the event and scientists from the Weather Channel and NASA will be on site.