2008 Woodie Awards
Beyond the classroom
Student activities provide extracurricular fun
Angie Thomas
Issue date: 8/17/07 Section: News
Each year, students are faced with hundreds of decisions. What classes should I take? How many should I take? Should I do my homework? How do I make new friends? Should I join a club or group? These are tough decisions. Each will change a person's college experience.
The answers to most of these questions are easy. Yes, you should do your homework. Friendships will happen naturally. Take courses you are interested in that get you on track for a career. Finally, there are many ways to get involved.
Michelle Charbonnier, Campus Activity Board graduate assistant, was involved on campus during her undergraduate years.
"Getting active on campus most definitely changes your college experience for the better," Charbonnier said. "My activities greatly enriched my college experience."
Charbonnier also said being involved helps improve leadership skills while giving memorable life experiences.
One other popular activity on campus is Greek life. SIUE offers several fraternities and sororities for students to choose from if they are interested.
SIUE alumnus Rhys Luster said getting into Greek life was one of the best decisions he ever made.
"It was a way for me to get involved and meet new people," Luster said. "I have great memories from my time in a fraternity."
Luster said not only are students able to do fun things in a fraternity, you also get to give back to the community. For Luster, performing service activities throughout the area was rewarding.
Charbonnier was also involved in Greek life at SIUE.
"Being a member of a Greek organization, I believe Greek life is very relevant to SIUE," Charbonnier said. "Though it isn't your normal Greek life on campus, it is still a great way of getting involved and meeting new people."
Though it may seem an overwhelming amount of choices at first, take it one step at a time. First, a student should decide what they are interested in.
Next is the easy part. Visit the Kimmel Leadership Center on the main floor of the Morris University Center. The center is dedicated to offering involvement activities to students. This office is set up to help students find their place at SIUE.
Campus Activity Board, student organizational activities, student-sponsored activities, fraternities and sororities, Student Leadership Development Program, university committees and Student Government are just some of the programs offered by the Kimmel Leadership Center.
The answers to most of these questions are easy. Yes, you should do your homework. Friendships will happen naturally. Take courses you are interested in that get you on track for a career. Finally, there are many ways to get involved.
Michelle Charbonnier, Campus Activity Board graduate assistant, was involved on campus during her undergraduate years.
"Getting active on campus most definitely changes your college experience for the better," Charbonnier said. "My activities greatly enriched my college experience."
Charbonnier also said being involved helps improve leadership skills while giving memorable life experiences.
One other popular activity on campus is Greek life. SIUE offers several fraternities and sororities for students to choose from if they are interested.
SIUE alumnus Rhys Luster said getting into Greek life was one of the best decisions he ever made.
"It was a way for me to get involved and meet new people," Luster said. "I have great memories from my time in a fraternity."
Luster said not only are students able to do fun things in a fraternity, you also get to give back to the community. For Luster, performing service activities throughout the area was rewarding.
Charbonnier was also involved in Greek life at SIUE.
"Being a member of a Greek organization, I believe Greek life is very relevant to SIUE," Charbonnier said. "Though it isn't your normal Greek life on campus, it is still a great way of getting involved and meeting new people."
Though it may seem an overwhelming amount of choices at first, take it one step at a time. First, a student should decide what they are interested in.
Next is the easy part. Visit the Kimmel Leadership Center on the main floor of the Morris University Center. The center is dedicated to offering involvement activities to students. This office is set up to help students find their place at SIUE.
Campus Activity Board, student organizational activities, student-sponsored activities, fraternities and sororities, Student Leadership Development Program, university committees and Student Government are just some of the programs offered by the Kimmel Leadership Center.
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