The Involvement fair will take place today on Fairfield Way from 2 to 6 p.m.
This year’s fair will be the largest since Covid-19, hosting 570 student clubs and organizations according to Sarah Bernhardt, the coordinator for Student Organization Support & Leadership.
The fair is free and will have a number of different organizations and clubs that range from academic to special interest, according to the student activities website.
Bernhardt said that research shows that students who get involved on campus are more likely to stay in college because they have a sense of belonging.
Lucas Ranicar, a sophomore psychology major and involvement ambassador for the student organization Leaders Intentional Development, shared his experience planning the fair.
Ranicar said different clubs and organizations must send applications through UConntact, a university platform, to get approval to take part in the fair. Ranicar said he will then look through the club application to determine if it will be approved.
“When you’re walking down Fairfield Way and you see all those tables and all those people, it’s really just interesting to see all the different kinds of interests that people have and different ways people want to come together,” Ranicar said.
Bernhardt said that the fair is also a way for students to learn about other opportunities such as the leadership certificate series or get involved in Student Health and Wellness.
“It’s an opportunity for students to find clubs and organizations to get involved with, but also university departments and programs that either support them or can offer student employment while they’re here,” Bernhardt said.
Bernhardt said the Involvement Fair is a wonderful way for students to find out what involvement looks like here at the University of Connecticut.
“I think I’m most looking forward to interacting with people that I maybe wouldn’t on a daily basis,” Ranicar said.
Bernhardt said the goal of the Involvement Fair for students is to find community and a sense of belonging.
“It’s an opportunity for our student organization leaders to promote their organizations, to recruit new members, to be able to speak more about the mission and values of their organization,” Bernhardt said.
When Ranicar attended the event last year he said he was only looking at things he was interested in, but working as an involvement ambassador he can look at other clubs that may have not piqued his interest immediately.
“I think that it gives students another unique opportunity to see all of the niche groups that we have on campus and to realize things that they didn’t know we had,” Bernhardt said.