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How does a student find time to get involved on campus with hours of homework each night, work every day and the struggle of managing just enough sleep to survive the next day? Let's face it - getting involved in every organization, club or sorority is never going to happen, ever. So what do you do? Well that requires some research, but luckily not very much.
Getting involved in campus organizations requires time. If you're anything like me, 24 hours in a day is just never enough to do everything I want to do. So, what clubs or organizations are you willing to put forth your extra time in? Do some research. Whether it's on your school's website, Facebook page or getting in contact with a member in the organization, you're never going to know what you can handle unless you search around.
Here are three organizations that I have found best suit my interests and schedule perfectly. If your schedule looks anything like mine, you might want to consider joining these yourself!
1. L.E.A.D. (Leadership Education And Development) Program
Credits to my roommate last year for introducing this program to me and telling me all about this amazing experience (thanks Brit!). After interviewing the Director of Student Leadership and Academic Advisor at Aurora University, Kris Johnson, she was able to provide me with even more insight into this program.
"This program seeks to develop the leadership knowledge and skills of students," she stated. She adds that L.E.A.D. not only combines principles from both social change and servant principles, but some even include different community and service projects. This program offers four tiers, which means that students can join as early as their freshman year to complete the entire program by the time they graduate.
After asking Johnson if she would recommend this program to students who say they're "too busy" to join an organization on campus, she replied that L.E.A.D. is designed for the busy student (crazy, right?). Each tier meets for one hour once a month where these meetings include different workshops and guest speakers. "Our fantastic presenters are skilled at planting the essential leadership seeds in a short time, and then it is up to the student to water their learning and watch it grow," Johnson stated.
Not only is this program designed for even the busy college student to join, but Johnson believes that this program stands out from all the rest on campus because it is open to any student on campus, at any level, for any major. She states, "Overall I believe students enjoy the sequence of learning in a safe and relevant environment. They also really enjoy the sense of community that develops as they progress through the tiers."
Being a part of the L.E.A.D. Program has been a great experience for me as both a student and an individual. I have made some great friends through this program and have had no trouble fitting it into my schedule. If you're not in this program already, you should highly reconsider!
2. Lambda Pi Eta (Communication Honors Society)
While I did not join a sorority like I hoped I would, I joined an Honors Society instead (no regrets). This year being my first year as a member of Lambda Pi Eta, I have also been able to manage this organization on campus despite my crazy schedule. After interviewing president of Lambda Pi Eta, Amy Rieger, here is what she had to say.
This being her first year as president and second year as a member of Lambda Pi Eta, she encourages students who say they are "too busy" to join. "I used to be one of those people, and now I am President," Rieger stated. She added, "It does take a lot of encouragement to join an organization, but I think that the benefits outweigh any type of risk there could be."
Like L.E.A.D., this organization only meets once a month and never has more than one event per month to attend. Even if you are unable to make it to the event that month, there are many other ways to help plan and promote that event and would still allow you to qualify as a member. However, being a member does have some additional qualifications.
To be an official member of Lambda Pi Eta, your major has to either be in Communication or Media Studies, or a minor in at least one Communication minors. A student also has to have at least a 3.0 overall GPA with a completed total of 60 semester hours. If you are a freshman wanting join this program, don't let this stop you! You can still be a member, but just cannot be inducted until these semester hours are completed.
"I think that students in Lambda Pi Eta have enjoyed the company of other Communication majors the best. It is always a good situation when you are surrounded by people who support you and understand a lot of the things you go through," Rieger stated. I couldn't agree more!
3. AU Spartan Media
While I did not initially join AU Spartan Media out of interest, I definitely wish I would have. Being a member of AU Spartan Media as a PR Specialist for my senior seminar course has been such a great experience. Not only have I been able to work on tasks to further experience my career interests, but I have also been able to create a close bond with my team that I know will continue even after graduation.
The great thing about being a member of AU Spartan Media is that there are many options to get involved and become a member. This organization on campus consists of four teams - the News Team, Sports Team, the Culture Team and the PR/Advertising Team. We only meet once a week and shows are only done in this time frame, which is perfect for any busy student who is on campus and wants to join.
Once I transferred to a university from a community college my junior year, I knew I wanted to get involved on campus in as many ways as possible. However, I also knew that my extra time outside of work and school was very limited. You'd be surprised how many organizations you can actually find on your campus that aren't very time consuming at all. Do your research. Get involved. Have fun. Life's too short to skip out on opportunities, especially in your college years.
For other tips to get involved on campus, check out the link below!