Getting Involved on Campus Helps Students to Succeed!
By: Kiara Stewart | Ryan Chergui
Getting involved in student organizations and volunteering at events is a great way to make lifelong connections and build soft skills. Holding titles within student organizations is also an amazing way build character and make for a standout resume. At UMSL there are over 100 academic based student organizations. Students who join make new friends, learn new skills, and perform better in classes.
Getting involved in groups that share common interests, and attending activities offered by the college can be fun and offer many other benefits.
- Getting involved gives students the opportunity to meet new people. College is about making new friends, understanding different perspectives, and meeting different kinds of people. Getting involved in campus activities gives your student the chance to meet people and diversify their contacts beyond the circle of people they will encounter in their residence hall or classes.
- Colleges offer opportunities, often at little or no cost, that they may not encounter easily otherwise. Major performers come to campuses. Discount tickets to performances and athletic events in nearby communities are sometimes available. World renowned speakers visit campus to give addresses and conduct workshops.
- Students have the opportunity to feed new interests. They can explore an area that they thought about but didn’t have the chance to be involved in before. They may discover hidden talents or new passions.
- Students have the opportunity to connect with the college in a new and different way. They will feel like they are a part of the college community. They will increase their sense of loyalty and identity as a member of the college.
- Students are exposed to new career paths by participating in clubs or organizations that will lead them in new directions.
- Expanding their network.
- Social Skills. Students meet and spend time with various types of students, from cultural backgrounds different than their own. Activities often involve teamwork and allows the student to make a ton of connections with faculty members, administrators, or members of the outside community.
- Increase his self-esteem and develop leadership qualities. Students discover new things about themselves when they are involved in helping a group function.
Several studies have shown that students who are active in campus activities, and are more engaged in the campus community and more likely to succeed academically as well.
The College of Business Administration offers a variety of clubs, and many are specific to academic interests and emphasis areas.
The Accounting Club is more than just a club where you learn to crunch numbers. It is a relaxed atmosphere, that allows you to discover the world of accounting, encourage your interest and curiosity and, progress in useful business knowledge with other students. Whoever you are, wherever you come from, you are welcome, just come! Not to mention, you will have the opportunity to meet other students, but more importantly, potential employers, who can offer you networking opportunities. So, stop calculating and join.
With more than 30 active members, the marketing club helps students to build their personal brand, and dive into possible career paths. They have close relationships with various local businesses like Locker Dome, Elasticity, Atomic Dust, and Fleishman Hillard. These relationships help students with various networking opportunities, conferences, and site visits to leading companies in the field of marketing and social media. From free professional photos to annual networking events to the creation of LinkedIn, everything is there to help you enter the professional world.
The purpose of the Finance Club is to provide various resources to students studying finance who are interested in a career in the financial industry. The club will provide various workshops, Finance Career Mentoring Events, and Job Fairs to students. The Finance Club will also serve as an organization that is here to answer any finance-related questions, provide guidance on what classes to take, and helpful information related to the preparation for the CFA exam.
The Supply Chain & Transportation Club aims to educate and provide students with opportunities to increase their understanding of the supply chain and transportation field. The club offers networking opportunities, panel events, and facility tours throughout the semester. The objectives of the Transportation Club include providing opportunities for students to see real-world examples of how transportation and planning is applied, is essential to business activities, and facilitating social contact between and among students and industry professionals of transportation and organization firms. Club activities are designed to display the importance of transportation and organization, point out job opportunities in the industry, and help students network with industry professionals.
The information systems club strives to give students real-world examples of how technology is applied in business applications, and to foster further understanding of new developments in IT . These goals are accomplished through various presentations and workshops by guest speakers from the information system industry. Students assist in the club’s web development which helps non-profits and small businesses with their web presence. They host site visits to leading software development companies, programming contests, and offer amazing networking opportunities.
MyEngage is UMSL’s hub for involvement opportunities. Find organizations that match your students’ interests, or discover a new passion!
Visit MyEngage today to explore what Student Organizations UMSL has to offer!