More than 70 tables prepared by student clubs and organizations are going to fill inside and outside the Warren Ballrooms in the Angell College Center today (Friday for online) at 2 p.m. for the Involvement Fair, hoping to connect students and boost involvement.
Held at the start of every semester, the Involvement Fair showcases all the new and old clubs and organizations so attendees can see all the extracurricular activities SUNY Plattsburgh has to offer while walking through the lines of tables, posters, handouts and trifolds.
Coordinator of Student Activities Rachel Wilcoxson said the Involvement Fair is a good way for student organizations, sororities/fraternities or any group associated with the college interact with students to get information about opportunities on campus.
Wilcoxson said that clubs and organizations are beneficial because they give students experience and skills, like leadership, which employers look for in the job market after graduation.
The event, more targeted for newly arrived freshmen to third-year students, is a good way to make friendships and build community according to Wilcoxson.
“It’s especially for those who are not from the area, or near the campus, or a member of a marginalized group to feel belonging and get attached to campus,” Wilcoxson said.
The event will be more organized than in former years, as the clubs and organizations will be grouped together for more clarity surrounding where all the sections will be. The change comes from feedback given by all the groups last year, to make it more interactive and student-run in the future.
Management information systems and cybersecurity double-major Emanuel Paun will be tabling for his second year now as co-chair for Red Zone, a club based in school spirit and support for SUNY Plattsburgh athletics.
Paun has been with Red Zone for a year now, and said the Involvement Fair gives people a chance to see the different sides of college.
“It gives, not only the incoming freshmen, but also the more seasoned students another look at things they could do and something new they could try,” Paun said.
Paun said that the club typically interacts with about 100 students during the fair and gets about 20 to 30 people who come back wanting to get involved.
