By Heidy Fernandez
Club Rush’s Howl-O-Week events encouraged students to join clubs on campus.
Oct. 24 to 27, events were held on College of Southern Nevada’s three main campuses. This year’s carnivals captured the Halloween spirit providing free food and candy, raffles, entertainment, a rock-climbing wall, inflatable-obstacle courses and a chance for students to join clubs.
Club Rush was hosted by Associated Students of College of Southern Nevada with a goal of creating a sense of community. “A lot of students that go here to CSN don’t know that we have clubs,” said Sara Picos, ASCSN vice president. “Usually we do a Club Rush every year; however, it’s never been this big. This is for our school, to get people united.”
According to a recent article by the National Youth Transitions Center at The George Washington University, there are some benefits to joining clubs and organizations on campus including the following: networking and social opportunities, professional experience and personal development, and organization and management skills.
“You should balance your involvement by joining clubs and organizations that allow you to grow within your academic field of interest, meet diverse people and have fun,” noted the article.
This was the first time ASCSN put on carnivals. There were approximately 15 clubs set up at booths at North Las Vegas campus including Spanish Club, Multicultural Club, Student Nurses’ Association and Gender and Sexuality Alliance. Dozens of students stopped by from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m.
One student who attended Devin Kramar said, “It fosters a sense of community. It’s really really important. I definitely thought it was well-organized and I appreciate how they had candy to draw people in.” Kramar mentioned he hopes to participate in clubs at CSN; he was interested in Phi Theta Kappa and ASCSN.
Leah Allen, vice president of the Multicultural Club, said joining clubs promotes unity and creates important connections to advisers and teachers who are resources who can provide help with classes and scholarships.
The Multicultural Club had a booth with a Dia de los Muertos theme, to celebrate loved ones lost. Its goal for Club Rush was 30 sign-ups and Allen estimated about half of those would actually join.
Other groups had a great turnout. The Creative Writing Club, which meets the first and third Thursday of every month at Charleston campus, had 43 sign-ups on the first day. According to Claire Petrichor, president of the club, around one-in-four people who sign-in at the booth during Club Rush show up to meetings later.
As part of the events, students were encouraged to visit several booths, fill out sign-in sheets for club leaders to later follow up with them, and get stamps good for food and drinks.
Clubs decorated their tables with festive Halloween themes. Some booths had gifts, treats and information pamphlets to give away.
For information about clubs on campus and how to join visit https://www.csn.edu/sites/default/files/u2296/15_16_club_list.pdf.
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 