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Clubs meet at Metro soirees
Campus organizations focus on networking
By Ruthanne Johnson
rjohn180@mscd.edu

An explosion of social networking among campus clubs hit Auraria in the last few weeks with two events aimed at linking student organizations together and creating social bonds to benefit students beyond graduation.

“We have great opportunities with student organizations, not only to have fun but to build business and community networks that may last a lifetime,” said Arliss Webster, director of Metro’s Student Travel Program, who spoke at the events.

Student organization members attending Metro’s Social Explosion event in late January and the Look Fair on Feb. 5 represented varied interests ranging from marketing and business to extraterrestrials and the unexplained.

At the Social Explosion event, Metro student Chalmer Wren IV of Metro’s Atheist Club spoke of planning a debate between his club and one of Metro’s student Christian organizations.
Roarke Pulcino of the Psychology Research Club talked about the study his club conducts on psychology students’ worldviews.

Gloria Burns of the Black Student Alliance addressed February’s designation as Black History Month.

“Our club actively promotes events pertaining to black awareness,” she said, adding that in addition to several planned events for the semester they have invited one of the last remaining pilots from the Tuskegee Airmen – the first group of blacks allowed to fly in war – to speak about his experience as a World War II pilot.

“Back when I went to school, student organizations and activities were pretty low-key, but they began to grow in the ’80s,” Webster said, adding that involvement in student organizations is valuable in networking and an integral part of a successful academic experience.

Webster graduated from Metro in 1978 and is currently taking on the additional responsibility of overseeing the Office of Student Activities until Metro fills the empty director’s position.

“Many times students make business contacts through their interaction in student organizations,” she said, explaining that in addition to being a place where students connect with other like-minded people, club involvement can also lead to a job in their chosen field.

One thing that was clear from the events was that Metro students and faculty overwhelmingly agree about the benefits of belonging to a school club.

“Studies show that individuals in student organizations are more involved in their school’s community at large, and they also do better in school,” said Tim Clinefelter of Metro’s Office of Student Activities. “Belonging to a student organization, especially being an officer, is also important on résumés for grad school and employment,” he added.