Student leaders from many of Palomar’s student clubs came out on Jan. 29 to promote community involvement by participating in this semester’s Club Rush event.
Club Rush, organized by the Inter-Club Council, allows students to check out the different clubs that exist on campus and meet some of their members.
“This is a chance for clubs to introduce themselves and for new clubs to recruit members and get signatures needed to fill out their club packets,” explained Lindsay Kretchman, activities coordinator from the Office of Student Affairs.
Over a dozen clubs, including the American Indian Student Alliance, Ballet Folklorico, the Child Development Club, Intervarsity and the International Club set up tables and tents outside the Student Union to talk about their clubs, pass out information, and encourage students to join.
Erika Trinh, an interior design major, and Ashley Bryant, genetic engineering and plant science major, are members of the GeoScience Club. They spoke about activities done in their club.
“We go on hikes and learn there, so you don’t have to know (about geology) or be in a class,” Trinh said.
“We would like to see it grow and introduce people to geological science and anyone majoring in geo can get a lot of help, we have professors who work with us,” added Bryant.
Most of the clubs’ representatives stated that club growth is something they would like to achieve this semester. Emilio Daggett, president of the L.D.S.S.A club (a religious interest club) said, “I would like us to get ranked to be one of the Top 10 clubs on campus and to be there for others. We invite and love all.”
Fabiola Hernandez, Puente Club president (an academic success and outreach club) explained, “We want to grow. We get a lot of students who say they want to join and then they don’t show up. We have some members who always go (to meetings], but we want more students to be active, both in other clubs and our club.”
“We want to be the bridge between the students and the school,” Hernandez added.
Many also expressed a sense of the importance of building community and how their clubs can help do so.
Palomar Theater Ensemble members Amanda Margosiak, Donna Howe, Jessica O’Connel and Sonia Caldera said that in addition to having more chances to perform they would like their group to get “more people and community.”
O’Connel explained, “(The Ensemble) brings the community together because we bring in shows. All of our plays tell human stories that people can relate to.”
Club Rush participants encouraged all students to become involved in their various activities. Margosiak added, “We can always use everybody, techs, actors … anyone can do something.”
Article by staff writer Claudia Rodriguez
