When I first came to FSU, I would’ve loved a guide for navigating campus and college life. I’ve learned so much during my time here and want to share that knowledge with you. A Girl’s Guide to FSU will explore different aspects of campus through my student experience, so you can skip the learning curve and get to know all about FSU.
As someone who applied to FSU as an entrepreneurship student, building something of my own has always been a goal of mine. After my sophomore year, I attempted to start a club, but failed. I found the process to be confusing and overwhelming, and I didn’t know who to ask or where to go for help.
A year later, I received an email from a professor. He was looking for students interested in helping him start an innovation club. I was intrigued and immediately volunteered. Another student also volunteered, and that summer, we started the Innovation Club at FSU.
As someone who struggled to navigate the process alone, I wanted to provide an instruction manual for other students to start their own club. It’s not easy, but with dedication, it’s possible. While FSU has hundreds of clubs, the club most meaningful to you might be waiting for someone to start it.
Build a Community
The most important part of starting a club is building a community. While this might seem difficult, you don’t need a lot of people to start. At a minimum, you need six people to complete some basic tasks and to be listed on the official application roster.
Aside from the formalities, your community’s strength will greatly impact your club’s success. My co-founder and vice president, Katarina Himmel, has been the most incredible and dedicated partner in starting the Innovation Club at FSU. She’s worked tirelessly through every single step of the process, whether in navigating the financial certification requirement, finding executive board members, or answering my every question.
My single most important piece of advice would be to find someone who’s as motivated and interested in the club as you. Our teamwork has allowed the club to flourish into what it is today. I could’ve never accomplished so much alone.
Do the Paperwork
To start the official process, navigate to the Starting an RSO (Registered Student Organization) page. It outlines how to register your organization. To start, email to schedule an appointment as soon as you can. You’ll meet with someone to review the steps and ensure your questions are answered.
If I’m being honest, we didn’t wait for our appointment to begin steps 1-3. An important part of this meeting is asking what type of organization your club will be considered. There are three types: Affiliated Student Organization (ASO), General Student Organization (GSO), and University Supported Student Organization (USSO).
Step 1 has a link to an RSO Canvas Course that the President and Treasurer must complete. This step is one of the reasons why having someone as invested in the club as you are is important. While these steps aren’t difficult in theory, they can feel overwhelming. Read through everything and give yourself time to go through the two quizzes. There’s one on general club information and one on finances. You and one other person only need 80% on each to pass.
Step 2 is going through a Hazing Prevention Course, which requires four members to complete it individually. It isn’t too difficult and doesn’t take too long, but it’s important to spread awareness.
Step 3 requires submitting your RSO application on Nole Central, which consists of two parts: the RSO Name and Logo Approval Form and the Student Organization Registration. FSU has very specific guidelines when creating your name and logo, so ensure you follow these closely.
The registration will require a number of documents, all of which are linked to the application. These will need to be signed and uploaded. While a Constitutional Addendum is provided to sign, we also created a simple constitution modeled after other clubs.
First Steps as a New Club
Getting your club approved is the first milestone, which is exciting! It’s time for your club to secure a spot at the Involvement Fair, build your presence, create an executive board, start meeting, and secure funding.
To begin, request a spot at the Involvement Fair. This will allow your club to reach students and gain traction. Since we didn’t yet have funding, I used a garnet tablecloth I already had and printed out our club’s logo. Our first involvement fair was a success and led to building a complete executive board. Another great tabling opportunity is Market Wednesday.
You can sign up on Thursday for the following week through Nole Central, and it’s a great way to connect with students. We’ve tabled once so far, and I look forward to what future Market Wednesdays have in store for us!
It’s important to have a tangible presence that students can find. When you get approved, you already have a dedicated page on Nole Central. This is a great way for students to find the club. Creating an Instagram account and a public group chat are also important. They allow you to share information about events and opportunities and stay connected with your club members.
Building an executive board is when the process truly begins to feel real. You’re creating opportunities for other students while ensuring your club runs smoothly with the help of other talented people. I created a Google Form with basic background questions, a list of open positions and their descriptions, and specific questions about interest in the club and commitments for the school year.
This form was then sent to friends, posted on Instagram, and sent to our group chat. We built an executive board of students who bring wonderful ideas and help the club grow and operate in ways that the two of us founders never could have alone.
Operating as a Club
One of the hardest struggles of this process was figuring out how to request a room for our meetings. I had to ask multiple times to finally find the website, Mazevo. Once you have the website, the process is fairly simple. You click add new request, give information about your event, and choose a general meeting space type. Later in the form, you can request a specific building, but it’s not guaranteed. We’ve never received the building we requested, but the alternate buildings have worked.
It’s also important to secure funding. You’d be surprised how far you can get with no budget, but money can help you spread awareness of your club. We started months ago and have just requested our first allocation. The Student Government Association (SGA) has an entire page dedicated to the different types of funding you can request and how to apply. It’s a great opportunity to help your club get started and operate.
If you need printing or other similar services, rather than spending your SGA allocation, you can utilize Student Publications at no charge. The only requirements are that you have to include “Paid for by SGA” somewhere on your flyers and bring your own paper.
If you’re interested in starting a club, start now. The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be approved, and the more opportunities you’ll have for your club early on. Starting a club can be overwhelming but also exciting. It’s a great way to learn so much and leave your mark at FSU.
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