During your time at UNI, there’s an abundant amount of opportunities at your finger tips. Ask any student on campus- getting involved through campus activities is key to having a successful and enjoyable time while you’re at UNI. Now the question is, what do you get involved in? UNI offers so many amazing campus organizations that it may be difficult to choose exactly what you want to get involved in. Check out these priceless points on why you should get involved and helpful hints on how to do so.
What’s in it for me?
Meet new people! Getting involved on campus is a great way to meet people. It can be easier than meeting people in your dorm, class, or at a party, because you already share something in common— the organization you’re both involved in!
Resume builder! When you’re applying for any type of job, most employers look at what you have been involved in throughout college. Being involved on campus shows that you’re not afraid to try new things and that you can balance and prioritize your time along with class, homework, work, practices, and other activities you may have on your schedule. Having a leadership position in an organization is a definite plus for building up that resume!
Enhance your skills! Enhance the skills you already have when you become involved on campus. If you were great at volleyball in high school, keep up those talents and show off your spike at Club or intramural volleyball. Or, if your major is interior design, get hands-on experience in one of the interior design clubs.
How do I know?
What’s your major? If you’re not sure where to start on choosing the right organization for you, think of your interests or your major in college. Every major on campus has some sort of related club. (Accounting major = Accounting Club)
I love _____! You fill in the blank! What are your hobbies, talents, and interests? Obsessed with watching sports on television? Join a sports club or team. Can’t get enough time writing in your journal during the day? Write for the Northern Iowan and bring the news to others!
Try something new! Try challenges that you haven’t done before! If you’re afraid of heights, take up rock climbing. Want to keep your New Year’s resolution of working out every day? Join any of the WRC’s fitness and leisure classes. Love the Arts? Check out all of the Art and Theater Organizations offered on campus.
To get you started….
Here are just a few of the hundreds of organizations that UNI offers for students to get involved in:
Relax at UNIon Yoga. “’UNIon’ Yoga Club will be an organization open to all students for the purposes of practicing, learning about, and discussing all aspects of yoga.”
Contact: unionyogaclub@gmail.com
Where are you going this summer? CampAdventure. “Camp Adventure provides a wide array of opportunities to serve children and youth in an international setting, integrate theory with practice, develop new knowledge, skills and competencies as well as to be a part of a worthwhile endeavor. Students can become camp counselors abroad, receiving air fare, housing and a daily stipend.”
Contact: staff.development@campadventure.com
Dance it up with the International Dance Theatre. “International Dance Theatre is an American and International dance performance company and social group.”
Contact: daniel.wells@uni.edu
“It’s all Greek to me” with UNI’s Sororities and Fraternities. UNI offers many opportunities for you to get involved in a sorority. Get a full list of sororities and more information at the Student Organization’s home page and click on “sororities and fraternities.”
Start your event planning career when you join the Campus Activities Board.“The Campus Activities Board (CAB) is a student-run event programming organization at the University of Northern Iowa.”
Contact: mike.bobeldyk@uni.edu
Give back and serve others through UNI Toms Campus Team, American Humanics, and She’s the First*{UNI}.Go to the Student Organization’s home page and see all the service organizations that give back that you can be apart of.
Where do I start?
Go to http://www.uni.edu/maucker/siac/ and see the complete list of every organization that UNI has to offer. This website is a great resource, giving you information on what the organization is all about, people to get in contact with, and everything else you need to know. Still don’t see an organization that you want to join? Then start your own! Information on how to start this process is found on the website as well. Learning how to fund your organization and the Student Organization Handbook are just a click away.
So head up to the Student Involvement Activities Center in Maucker Union to get all your questions answered. Now that you have the info, the next step is to get out there and get involved!