Though it may seem like move-in was only yesterday, we are already almost a month into the Spring 2023 semester at the University of Connecticut. Just last week, Student Activities hosted an involvement fair in Gampel Pavilion. Notably, this is the first in-person Spring involvement fair Student Activities has been able to host since 2020, according to Daily Campus reporting from Feb. 2, 2023. In this article, Student Activities said that around 350 student clubs and about 30 university departments and programs tabled at the fair — a significant push for student engagement in the many opportunities available at UConn.
The Daily Campus Editorial Board encourages students to get involved on campus. Yes, we have the same sentiment as the many student leaders you saw tabling last week, all clamoring to get your attention and practically begging you to write your email address down on a list. We know the routine — The Daily Campus tabled at the involvement fair as well — students end up signing up for a lot of clubs, not necessarily intending to truly engage with them. By the end of the overstimulating fair, actually attending a meeting seems exhausting. But there is immense value to joining student organizations on campus.
Being on a college campus provides a unique opportunity, in that there is a club for every interest. In fact, UConn’s website boasts more than 700 student clubs and organizations — there’s bound to be something that sparks your interest. Student organizations build community and allow you to meet more people, which in turn can make a large campus feel significantly more close-knit.
Further, student organizations and clubs on campus are the perfect opportunity for building not only your social skills, but also professional skills. While students hopefully participate in extracurriculars primarily because they enjoy them, student organizations are also a perfect example of the so-called “resume builders” advisors love to encourage. It’s essentially a low-stress environment to build and hone the skills needed for a later career.
Moreover, the student fees charged on each semester’s fee bill help fund these clubs and organizations. Your Student Activity Fee directly funds the Tier-III organizations on campus, including The Daily Campus, Nutmeg Publishing, WHUS Radio and UCTV. UConn’s Undergraduate Student Government — another Tier-III funded directly from the Student Activity Fee — helps provide funding for Tier-II student organizations on campus as well. The Editorial Board has written before about the lack of autonomy UConn students have over the charges on their fee bill, but we all are able to make the most of the situation and benefit from the organizations we help fund.
Finally, in keeping with the theme of getting involved in student organizations on campus, here’s a self-plug from the Editorial Board: You should join The Daily Campus. The Daily Campus is UConn’s independent, student-run newspaper and has been serving the UConn community since 1896. We cater to a wide variety of interests and no experience is necessary; you just need to be a UConn undergraduate student to join. In regards to content creation, you could be a writer in four different sections — news, life, opinion and sports; a photographer in our photo section, or an illustrator in our artist section — all of which have paid opportunities as well. You could also work a paid role on our production team as a copy editor, page designer or digital producer. Additionally, we have opportunities for advancement through managerial roles. Join us!
