At a large University such as Penn State there are many chances to get involved. Everywhere you turn there are different opportunities presented to you. When you walk into any major building on campus, the bulletin boards are canvassed with flyers of club meetings with enticing tag lines such as “meet new people,” “free food,” or “leadership positions available.” Let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to meet new people, get free food and build their resume all at the same time?
Opportunities are presented to us in more than one way, through email list-servs, Facebook invites, tweets, flyers in our residence halls, and even through the traditional snail mail. These club opportunities range from doing philanthropy or community service, engaging in cultural conversations, spring break volunteer service trips, fighting social justice or mastering the social network. There is something for everyone to do. No person on this campus should feel left out. My advice for liberal arts majors is to find something that inspires you, support a cause, advocate for a social issue, and most importantly have fun. Participating in student organizations on campus is a great way to develop some specific skills. There are different committees within clubs that allow you to focus on a variety of your skills and interests. Committees range from public relations to community service to special events to education. Employers love to see that you are dedicated and have developed some type of skill within a student organization. It demonstrates your hard work and it helps to shows that you can be a productive, contributing member to a professional environment.
When I first arrived on campus I was overwhelmed at the many different extra-curricular activities in which I could participate. I learned quickly not to overextend myself by participating in too many clubs. Eventually, I narrowed down my list to several organizations, including: the Caribbean Student Association (CSA) and National Association for the Advance of Colored People (NAACP). It took me a semester to narrow down my choices but it was something that needed to be done. I soon realized it’s not the number of clubs you are in, but the amount of work you contribute.
Another skill you gain by participating in student organizations is networking. Networking is a very important tool to have when considering a career post-graduation. Networking will help you reach your career goals, and build a network of colleagues within your field of work. When we think of networking most of the time we picture distinguished alumni, businessmen, businesswomen, or internship recruiters. One group of people we often leave out is actually our biggest network: our peers. That’s right, I am talking about the students whom you interact with on a daily basis – from the girl who sits next to you in class to the kid you pass every weekend in the HUB. These students can also be great assets to your future career. I am not suggesting that you have to speak to random people all the time, but you might try to engage with members of your student organization. You may even find out that you both have similar interests and goals.
So the next time you are in Willard, Thomas, the library, the HUB or anywhere on campus where a flyer is plastered or the next time you see that tweet or Facebook invite, don’t ignore them. Rather, take the opportunity to invest in your future. That one organization might open new doors and take you places you never thought you could go all because you took that chance; you took that opportunity to get involved.
For a list of student organizations to get involved with check out this website.
