Tuesday, August 18, 2009
When Megan Do came to the University her freshman year, she never expected it to be so overwhelming.
“The transition to KU was harder than I expected,” Do said. “A few people that I went to high school with came here, too, but I never saw them. It was hard to meet new people.”
Do, live music coordinator for Student Union Activities, said she was really involved in the Lawrence music scene her freshman year. After meeting people involved in SUA, a friend told her the SUA live music coordinator position was open, and she went for it.
“I’ve met a lot of people through SUA that I never would have met otherwise,” Do said. “It’s a support system of people who will help you with anything from planning events to a paper for class.”
The transition to a large university, can be difficult for freshmen, Aaron Quisenberry, associate director of the Student Involvement and Leadership Center said. But he said the wide range of student clubs and organizations available could help make the adjustment easier.
There are about 600 groups on campus available to students. From anime to Frisbee, the clubs and organizations at the University appeal to a wide variety of interests. Quisenberry works to help new organizations and clubs register.
“Twenty-five thousand students is overwhelming at first,” Quisenberry said. “And if you can meet a handful of students in the beginning it will make the campus more manageable.”
Every year at new student orientation, students fill out a handout of about 130 different groups according to their personal preferences. Clubs and organizations then contact students, making the process of getting involved with groups on campus more accessible.
Joe Day, Derby senior and SUA president, got involved with SUA his sophomore year after meeting other members at the annual Templin Hall Casino Night.
“Nobody minds what your major is or where you come from,” Day said. “They’re just there to have fun.”
Freshman activity is good for the organizations on campus, too, Day said.
Ryan Callihan, Lenexa senior and president of KU Environs, an environmental awareness organization, said the group was expecting 50 to 60 new people to show up at its first meeting this year. He said he expected most of the new members to be freshmen and sophomores.
“Being involved is an incredible learning experience,” Callihan said. “It helps students learn the ins and outs of campus.”
Megan Baker, project coordinator for new student orientation, also helps freshmen get involved when they first arrive on campus.
Baker, along with SILC and about 100 other groups on campus, will hold two information fairs during Hawk Week. One will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center and the second will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 21 in the Kansas Union lobby.
“What you do outside the classroom makes or breaks you,” Quisenberry said. “If you’re involved in good things, you’ll go on to do good things.”
A list of all the student groups can be found on the KU A-to-Z Web site under “Student Organizations.”
— Edited by Abby Olcese
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