Approximately 195 student organizations were represented at the Kelvin Smith Library (KSL) Oval last Sunday, Aug. 26 for the Office of Student Activities and Leadership’s annual Student Activities Fair. The fair’s overall goal is to expose incoming students to the culture of campus involvement at CWRU and to foster a welcoming atmosphere.

First-year student Jack Chipman was pleased with this year’s event and looks forward to increasing his involvement with the community.

“I’m excited to join clubs on campus,” he said after scoping out the dozens of booths. “There’s definitely something for everyone here.”

Student organizations on campus cover a broad range of interests, which aim to help students pursue their passions through extracurricular activities, community service and other means of participation on campus.

“We fill so many different realms of student interest, and it’s really cool to see them all come together,” said fourth-year student and Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Vice President of Finance Sydney Davis. She added, “Every year, we add around ten new student organizations, which really adds to the diversity of clubs on campus.”  

This year, an Undergraduate Diversity Collaborative (UDC) initiative played a big role in the organization of the Student Activities Fair. In partnership with USG, the initiative aimed to further the diversification of groups on campus. During the fair, each student organization hosted a table where they presented information regarding their group and gave students the opportunity to sign up for email notifications.

With the significant amount of clubs and organizations present at the event, the line of tables circled around the KSL Oval and went onto Freiberger Field.

Second-year student and Taiwanese American Student Association Activities Chair Chloe Jen said, “I think being a part of organizations on campus helps you find your niche and find a place where you belong.”

Second-year Class Secretary Susan Wong agreed with Jen. She added, “Some people find their identity in the clubs they join, so I think it’s really important to get involved.”

Many students acknowledge how their involvement on campus has enabled them to find a sense of belonging at CWRU. While students may feel overwhelmed by the large amount of organizations being promoted at the fair, students eventually find the few clubs that will help them thrive as members of CWRU.

“Joining clubs enhances your experience because it lets you meet people from all walks of life that maybe you never would have met otherwise,” said third-year student and Juggling Club member Billy Markowitz. “I’m happy I tried things out and found a group of people that share my hobbies.”