Campus organizations, student groups connect students, campus

By Sachiko Miyakawa

Monday, August 11, 2008

Students can make friends, experience diversity and gain leadership and skills through extracurricular activities.

Aaron Quisenberry, associate director of Student Involvement and Leadership Center, said 560 student groups registered at the center last year.

“Campus is a big place and some students are overwhelmed,” Quisenberry said. “The big campus can start to become manageable if you participate in a student group. It makes you feel like you belong here.”

Quisenberry said the center’s Web site would give an overview of KU student groups and guide students to their best matched group, based on their interests, majors and goals. For example, if a student is interested in campus political organizations, the student could go to the directory of student organizations and try the category search. This will narrow down the student’s options.

Quisenberry said students could talk to representatives of student groups during Hawk Week. One hundred of the groups will participate in two information fairs during the week. One is scheduled on Aug. 19 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in front of Wescoe Hall. The other is on Aug. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Kansas Union. He said any student would be welcome to the fairs.

The 560 available groups cover a variety of topics, from dance to outdoor activities to cultural activities.

The Ball Room Dance Club offers beginner level and intermediate level classes for dances like the salsa. Members will pay $30 a semester and take up to 15 lessons.

Kellen Voss, Shawnee graduate student and president of the club, said beginners were always welcome and could participate in either the salsa lesson or the beginners’ lesson, which features different forms of dances like the waltz and tango.

“We don’t do competition,” Voss said. “We just promote ball dance and have a fun time.”

Voss said ball dance could be athletic and a good workout.

Brandon Hidaka, Overland Park senior and president, teaches Yoga in the Burge Union once a week for free. He started the Yoga Club a year and half ago to increase the awareness of Yoga on campus.

Hidaka said Yoga would improve health through a blend of breathing and stretching. It has also calming effect and relives stress.

“People in all shapes and sizes can join. Whether you are flexible or strong doesn’t matter,” he said. “It improves what you already have.”

Groups like the Nontraditional Student Foundation connect students who share similar interests or backgrounds.

Trish Jackson, Sterling graduate student, finds it hard to split time between raising her son and socializing with her classmates. Although she wishes to know more about her classmates, she doesn’t have time at night or weekend.

Jackson became the president of the Nontraditional Student Foundation, hoping to create more connections and communication among members who have different backgrounds, including veterans, parents and older students.

The foundation serves as a repository of information for nontraditional students on campus. It holds two information fairs every year and recruits members.

Jackson said she planned to organize more social events to encourage this year. She said meeting and talking people who shared similar experiences could make them feel connected to campus and encouraging for their academics.

For more information, visit www.ku.edu/organizations/

— - Edited by Matt Hirschfeld

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