By Susan Hoffman
Edge Managing Editor
Student organizations at our University cater to a wide variety of people, including current students, alumni, staff and faculty members. One of my favorite parts of Commencement is talking with different people about these student organizations and the interesting work they’ve done.
There are currently over 70 student organizations available at the University. Joining most of these organizations is generally free (with some exceptions), and you can participate as much as you like, depending upon your schedule and responsibilities. Certain organizations – like the Golden Key International Honour Society – require an invitation and are only open during specific months of the year.
What Are the Benefits of Joining Student Organizations?
There are multiple benefits associated with joining one or more of our student organizations. Membership is a good way to get to know other people in the University community and develop your leadership skills by serving as a campus leader and chapter office. You can also have fun with like-minded people!
For instance, if you like reading, writing, or history, think about joining the R.E.A.D. Book Club, the Writing Club, or the Saber and Scroll Historical Society. If online gaming is your thing, consider joining our Esports Club.
Other reasons to join our organizations include helping communities and enjoying intellectual challenges. To help people in their community, the West Virginia Students’ Alliance (WVSA) worked on a ground restoration and gardening project for local citizens in Charles Town, West Virginia. Similarly, the Model UN Club participated in several virtual competitions in 2021.
Our student organizations also provide empathy for their members when needed. For instance, there are five organizations that provide support to servicemembers, veterans and military spouses. Similarly, Active Minds offers mental health support and other useful services.
Our Organizations Fall into Different Categories
The student organizations at our University are organized into different categories, such as:
- Academic and honor societies
- Career and pre-professional organizations
- Cultural organizations
- Faith-based and spiritual organizations
- Military-based organizations
- Political organizations
- Social and recreational organizations
- University affiliate organizations
- Volunteer and community service organizations
So if you have a particular interest and want to join one of our student organizations, visit our student organization webpage for details. We also have several organizations awaiting recognition, or you can start one of your own. For more information, contact studentaffairs@apus.edu.
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