The UConn Spring 2021 Involvement Fair took place last week from Jan. 26 to Jan. 29 and featured over 400 clubs and student organizations. Traditionally, the Involvement Fair takes place during the first few weeks of classes on Fairfield Way, however, this year, Student Activities had to adapt to the COVID-19 guidelines and hosted the fair virtually through UConntact, UConn’s get involved, get engaged platform. Students had the opportunity to talk with fellow students and find opportunities to get involved with on campus. From club sports to student government, the fair had something for everyone!
“Getting involved at UConn is a crucial part of a student’s journey,” Kristen Carr, the coordinator of involvement and student organization support programs, said in an email. “While this has been an incredibly challenging year for everyone, the opportunity to get involved and get connected continues on.”
COVID-19 has altered many aspects of campus life and the Involvement Fair is another one of UConn’s large in-person events that had to adapt to the new guidelines set by the state and the university in order to prioritize student and staff safety. Although the event was held virtually, Carr said that student organizations indicated that they received a good quality of interest. According to Carr, there were 431 clubs and programs that attended the spring fair, which is less than the fall, however, the spring fair is always traditionally smaller. Even though in-person fairs might appear more appealing at first, virtual fairs offer many advantages as well.
“While we certainly hope to move back to in-person large involvement fairs in the future, we also want to be able to offer virtual fairs for groups throughout the semester to assist in their recruiting efforts and to help more students find more opportunities,” Carr said.
The Involvement Fair ran across four days and each day was organized into categories based on interests. This allowed students to scroll through the different organizations and jump into any of the live Zoom meetings to meet the club members or ask questions.
“UConntact virtual fairs are great because students from any campus and any location are able to see what a club is about and jump into live Zoom meetings to ask questions or get to know the members,”
Kristen Carr, Coordinator of Involvement and Student Organization Support Programs
One of the distinct advantages of hosting virtual fairs is the interconnectivity that they offer with the other UConn campuses.
“UConntact virtual fairs are great because students from any campus and any location are able to see what a club is about and jump into live Zoom meetings to ask questions or get to know the members,” Carr said.
Carr spoke highly of the UConntact platform and its ability to allow students to continue to find opportunities once the fair is over.
“UConntact provides a 24/7, 365 Involvement Fair as any student can go on at any time, search for opportunities and join up,” Carr said. “We also use UConntact to host events happening around campus – another way to find things to be involved in.”
Getting involved in a club or student organization during your undergraduate career is a great way to make friends, develop leadership skills and have fun! The Spring 2021 Involvement Fair was once again a success and allowed students to find new ways to get involved and stay connected with one another during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thumbnail photo courtesy of @uconnstudentactivities on Instagram.
