It’s no shock that many students at UTSA do whatever possible to avoid walking past student organizations tabling on campus, unless they are handing out free food, or just free stuff in general. Whether it’s taking a route that will redirect you three whole minutes longer to get to class, avoiding all eye contact like the plague, or simply being on the offense and ready to say, “no thank, I already have Jesus in my life,” we all have our ways of avoiding them. Because of this, it’s probably no shock either that less than 40% of students are involved in on campus organizations. Even with 309 official student organizations on our campus (many of these organizations tabling everyday throughout the semester), UTSA students are still unaware of the opportunities – not only for them to get involved and gain experience, but the benefit these student organizations have to their future careers and happiness.
Before I got involved my freshman year, I spent most my time outside of class sleeping, eating (the freshman 15 was very real), at the gym (to try and lose the freshman 15), or watching Netflix – and notably all alone. Just a few months before, I had known everyone I went to high school with, and now on a campus that at the time had 31,000 students, I knew no one. For this exact reason, one of the biggest benefits to incoming freshman on joining a student organization early on is that it helps ease the transition from high school to college. Joining helps you meet people who have similar interests, values, and goals as yourself. This leads to validation of your own interests, and a feeling of purpose. Abbie Salmeron, a freshman from Marble Falls, knew she was missing out at the beginning of the semester, “Before I joined a student organization, I didn’t feel like I had many friends on campus. I would go straight from my dorm to class and back.” After rushing a PanHellenic sorority though, she noticed a huge difference; “I recognize so many faces around campus now. I always have someone to say ‘Hi’ to, or talk about my day with. I’ve have made so many great friendships already.” Joining a student organization also helps develop a sense of community and loyalty to our campus. Zoe Tidwell, a freshman from San Antonio can attest to this, “Joining the organization pushed me to get out of my comfort zone. Now I do things I wouldn’t normally do, and it makes me more active and present at our university.”
Another benefit to joining early on is that it gives you more time to develop skills such as: leadership, communication, problem-solving, group development and management, budgeting and finance, presentation and public speaking, and many other skills that make you stand out to employers whether you’re looking for a part-time job, internship, or a big girl career! Theresa Thompson, a mechanical engineering major and a senior from Cypress can’t imagine what life would be like had she not joined organizations such as Voices, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Society of Woman Engineers, and Texas Society of Professional Engineers, and the experience she gained holding positions in them, “When I first came to UTSA, I used to get really bad anxiety when I had a lot on my plate, and I lost my patience easily dealing with certain kinds of people. Without the four years of growth I have had through student organizations, I most likely would not have gained these skills, because I wouldn’t have had anyone to push me to be better.”
Plus, joining a professional student organization that centers around your potential career can help you figure out what you do and do not want to ultimately major in. For Avery Wilson, a senior Civil Engineering Major from Austin, being in a male dominated major without any support made her feel discouraged, but joining an organization renewed her faith in herself and her ability to compete in a male dominated profession. She says, “I joined the American Society of Civil Engineers to try and meet women who shared my major and get involved at the university, but what I found was so much more! After a couple of months, I was able to find a summer internship at on of the largest engineering firms in the world!” On the other hand, as a freshman, I was pre-med and majoring in kinesiology with the hopes of becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon. After joining our amazing pre-medical society on campus, and getting more information about the field, I decided the pre-med life was not the life for me. I changed my major to Sport, Event, and Tourism Management the next semester, and have never had any regrets! The experience I gained in a student organization about my future field helped me avoid a costly and time-consuming mistake.
What many people find hard to believe though is that participation in any student organization at any point has proven to boost students GPA’s and chances of graduating. Because most student organizations require you to maintain a certain GPA and complete a certain level of study hours to remain an active member, students receive academic support and encouragement they might not otherwise have gained if they were not involved. Jobanna Tavera, a senior business major from Fort Worth, is the scholarship and development chair for an on campus organization, and didn’t join until she was a junior. This is when she noticed a huge difference in her support and motivation academically after joining, “We are constantly reminded that the primary reason we are here at UTSA is for school, and without doing well you can’t truly enjoy being part of the organization. Since it is mandatory to complete study hall hours, it reinforces how one of our main focuses is to develop ourselves intellectually in order to succeed in life.” For me, the benefit of joining business organizations meant that I knew a whole group of people who had or were taking the same classes I was, and could either give me tips, or study with me late at night in the JPL. Plus, if I’m already on campus for an event or meeting, I’m much more likely to stay and study vs. going home and doing nothing (mainly because I hate driving). Since the purpose of most student organizations is to focus on the personal, institutional, and community growth, being involved encourages students to expand intellectually, culturally, spiritually, and socially to become more well rounded individuals.
For any students looking to join an organization, whether it be student government, athletics, academic and professional organizations, volunteer and service, multicultural, travel, the arts, or fraternity and sorority life related remember to pick groups that reflect your interests and values, but most importantly will help you grow and assist you in your future endeavors. Victoria Rodriguez, a junior from Crystal City (you might recognize if you went through orientation this past summer) says it best, “My advice for students that want to get involved but don’t know where to start, is don’t think! Just join! There are over 300 organizations on campus and I’m sure many of them are the perfect fit for you! Don’t be afraid to go out and meet people. You meet some of you best friends in college, it’s just up to you to find them. You can start by visiting Rowdy Link and looking at all of the organizations that UTSA offers. Being a part of an organization will make your college experience one to remember!” So, next time you’re on campus and walking past all those tabling organizations, maybe instead of looking at your shoes, take the time to stop by the tables and get more information. Or, if you’re still too shy, take Victoria’s advice and get on Rowdy Link to search and get more information about joining one of the many amazing organizations UTSA has to offer it’s students!