By Jaidyn Steinbrecher
“I missed the activities fair, is it too late for me to join a club now?”
“Why does nobody show up to my club meetings anymore?”
“Where can I find a club that interests me?”
I’ve heard it all. Across the board, involvement is down at Susquehanna University. Some clubs have seen sharp declines in their membership over the past two years, even though more and more niche clubs have popped up to give students the opportunity to express their interests.
The spring Activities Fair is always less eventful than its fall counterpart, but this year felt especially empty. Many clubs have also seen a major downtick in attendance with some clubs having half as many members as last year.
The big question is why? But that might be too big of a question. Instead, I intend to answer the question: “how do I get involved?”
The first and easiest way to find clubs and organizations is on Campus Groups/MyNest with its vast expanse of nearly 200 student organizations. But nearly 200 clubs is a lot, making it difficult to decide which ones to dedicate your time to.
MyNest makes its user experience easier. Students can sort and search through the vast archive of organizations. There are many types of club categories, most being self-explanatory. Nevertheless, you can see a brief description of these categories and what sorts of clubs fall into those categories.
Academic and Honorary Clubs
First up are academic clubs and honorary societies. Academic clubs often focus on furthering education in specific fields and majors. These clubs are typically made up of students within those majors who all have high aspirations for their careers. Some examples include Consultation Club, Geo Club, French Club and the Pre-Health Professional Club.
Grouped in are the University’s many honorary societies, which are a middle point between academic clubs and Greek Life. Honorary societies are heavily focused on and dedicated to majors on a national scale. Some examples include Lambda Pi Eta (National Communications Association), Nu Rho Psi (National Honor Society in Neuroscience) and Omicron Delta Epsilon (International Honor Society in Economics).
Club Sports
Not everyone is able to join one of Susquehanna’s official sports teams, but being active is an important part of our community; that’s where many club sports come in! Club sports include campus specific teams, intervarsity teams, and others that travel nationally for tournaments. Some examples of club sports include Club Ice Hockey, Crew Team, Ultimate Frisbee Club and SU Men’s and Women’s Rugby.
Diversity and Cultural Clubs
One of the greatest aspects of Susquehanna’s community is its diversity. The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) and Division of Access, Equity, and Belonging (DAEB) ensure safe expression for all students. Thus, we also have several clubs and organizations that represent specific groups. Some examples include the Association for Latinx and Allied Students (ALAS), National Congress of Black Women (NCBW), Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), Latin Dancing Club and River Queens, SU’s very own Drag Club!
Greek Life
While not exactly clubs, Greek Life is also an important player in Susquehanna’s community. Nearly a third of the student body is involved in Greek Life, so I can’t go without mentioning it. However, Greek Life is a bit more complicated than just showing up to a club meeting, requiring attendees to go through Bid Day and Initiation. You can check out the many Fraternities and Sororities on MyNest!
Media Clubs
Another great thing about Susquehanna University is its wide range of literary opportunities. One of the largest majors at Susquehanna is creative writing, and therefore, there are a plethora of magazines, newspapers and other media to submit to or work in. There are currently eight literary magazines including Essay Magazine, Flagship, Ginkgo Magazine, RiverCraft Magazine, The Squirrel, etc. There are also other media opportunities such as WQSU, SU Studio, Public Relations, The Quill, and Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).
Music and the Arts Clubs
There is an entire section dedicated to music and the arts. Here you can find the more artistic communities focused on developing each specific craft. Such communities include AMP Music Society, Handbell Choir, SU Improv, and Graphic Design Club.
Religious and Spiritual Clubs
Along with our clubs focused on identity, we have another category devoted specifically to religious-based clubs and organizations. This includes Hillel, Disciplemakers Christian Fellowship, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. You can also get involved in other ways, such as joining the University’s Sunday Choir.
Service Clubs
If you are looking to help more in the Susquehanna or local community, perhaps you would like to take part in some of our service clubs. Some clubs help raise funds for important causes; others clean up downtown. Nonetheless, everyone does their part. Examples include clubs such as It’s On Us, SEALinsgrove Buddies, Be Positive (B+) and Circle K.
Special Interest and Other Clubs
Our special interest clubs include SU Campus Garden, Pokemon Fan Club, SU E-Sports, SU Model UN, SU Paranormal, SU SEEDS, Tabletop Gaming Club, and SU Democrats and Republicans.
Inactive Clubs and Beyond Clubs
Susquehanna University has been around for quite some time and therefore, many clubs have been proposed and accepted. Over time, several have fallen between the cracks and now remain inactive. This includes clubs like Philosophy Club and Photography Club, two clubs which are undergoing a revival through the Student Government Association (SGA).
If you scroll through MyNest and find inactive clubs, or instead find an underrepresentation for a specific group, you can propose a new club to SGA at any time!
But SGA isn’t just a place to make new clubs. It is also a place to get more involved as well. SGA is made up of students from all around campus, each representing a different department, organization or even the clubs listed above.
On that note, beyond student-run organizations, the university is made up of several campus organizations and departments—many of which are featured in SGA.
Being an SGA Senator or working closely with a specific department is a great way to get involved, but also to gain work experience you can use later in your career!
With all that in mind, it is important to remember that Susquehanna is dedicated to fostering a community-based environment. We rely on our friends, professors and staff; and they rely on us. Getting more involved on campus helps bind these connections and allow for prosperity as we move forward into the workforce. Remember your resources and put yourself out there. College is the time to build lifelong connections, and now is your time to shine!