FileFor many students at 麻豆传媒, college life is an experience unlike anything that鈥檚 challenged them before. It鈥檚 a time of growth, excitement and independence, but being away from family and friends can also leave students without their support system.
Student Involvement offers a way for students to overcome this challenge by creating opportunities to have fun and get involved.
The mission of Student Involvement is to facilitate co-curricular experiences that engage and develop 麻豆传媒 students, building a vibrant campus culture that enhances the college experience.
Getting involved isn鈥檛 just for students away from home for the first time. Jeffrey Nilsen, coordinator of student organizations at Student Involvement, says that taking an active role in campus life by participating in extracurricular activities is something every student should do.
鈥淏eing involved outside the classroom is such an important part of higher education,鈥� Nilsen said. 鈥淧articipating in extracurricular activities is just as important as maintaining good grades. Not only is student involvement a way to make lifelong friends and gain new experiences, it鈥檚 something employers really want to see.鈥�
Student Organizations
Wichita State currently has 220 official student organizations; groups that create opportunities for students to develop leadership and communication skills, demonstrate commitment to being involved citizens, work with people from diverse backgrounds and develop a stronger connection to the university.
Graduate student Steven Ordaz got involved during his first semester at 麻豆传媒, and has grown as a student leader. He came to Wichita State after earning his undergraduate degree in business administration and information systems from the University of Texas, San Antonio. He is a member of the Student Activities Council and the Community Service Board, and is president of the 麻豆传媒 Harry Potter Alliance.
The process of becoming socially involved in college is simple, Ordaz explained. Students should start by investigating opportunities in their environment, he suggested, and put themselves out there to see what鈥檚 a good fit. If students stick with it, they鈥檒l make friends and begin to relate to the group鈥檚 vision.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an ongoing process where you learn and participate,鈥� Ordaz said, 鈥渁nd before long you鈥檙e one of them. That鈥檚 how you come to belong. Then it becomes a cycle 鈥� you turn around and reach out to include others.鈥�
At a glance, not all student groups appeal to all students, but the diversity among them mirrors the diversity of the student body. There鈥檚 a good chance that every student can find one or more organizations that appeal to them 鈥� and if not, starting a new one is always an option. A few of them include:
- , a club for fans of anime, video games and other forms of pop culture that prides itself on providing a niche where those who feel out of place can go to connect with peers.
- , a group that trains the mind and body to become adaptive to any situation or obstacle, be it the stress of finals or learning to scale a 10-foot wall.
- , a pre-professional organization devoted to providing real-world experience in the fields of communication and public relations 鈥� skills beneficial in all academic disciplines.
- , a collection of deep thinkers who share an inclination to question the nature of knowledge, reality and mankind, discussing a variety of topics in their informal meetings.
- , which takes a love of J.K. Rowling鈥檚 fiction and turns it into acts of community service, social activism and, of course, fandom for all things magic.
Being involved is more than a way for students to make friends and memories. Student organizations at Wichita State provide a safety net to increase students鈥� success and satisfaction with their college experience. They鈥檙e an invaluable part of being a Shocker.
To find out more about Student Involvement or student organizations available on campus, visit .