Floating near the entrance are pink balloons that welcome each student as they walk into the Southwest Ballroom A. Student Government Association senators greet each person with a warm smile and swipe them in. Music is playing on both corners of the ballroom as participants zip zag through each table picking up candy, flyers and interest for organizations they may have not considered before.
The Student Government Association and Center for Student Development partnered to host the Spring Involvement Fair last Wednesday at the new Student Union at Hubbard Hall. One of the first events the semester, the Spring Involvement Fair allowed students to interact with organizations they may not have known about and see the new student union for themselves.
“For organizations, it is very important for them to put their names out there and showcase what they have to let the TWU students know this org, whatever org it is, is here for them,” Uzochi Onwukwe, senior health studies master’s prep major and Associate Vice President for Student Organizations, said. “The Spring Involvement Fair was just another way for orgs to do that. It is important for SGA because it lets other people know that SGA is still doing things for the school.”
The planning for Spring Involvement Fair began last semester. Onwukwe, said that since at the time, the new student union wasn’t ready yet, SGA was booking different rooms to see what was available. Onwukwe said they weren’t sure how much space they would have, so they didn’t want to limit how many organizations could sign up for the fair until they knew for sure.
“[The Spring Involvement Fair] had Greek organizations, cultural organizations like Asian Student Organization,” Onwukwe said. “We have over 150 orgs, but we had only 56 there. But that 56 showed the diversity at our school.”
Rhylee Skowronski, junior political studies with an emphasis in legal studies and officer for the TWU Chapter of Ignite, an organization passionate about being civically engaged and growing a professional network, said events like the Spring Involvement Fair are a good way for students to see organizations outside of Pioneer Engage.
“They are great for recruiting new members or getting old members that kind of fell off and don’t come to meetings as often,” Skowronski said. “It gets them more excited and gets them engaged. When we’re super loud and friendly, they get more excited to come to our meeting instead of seeing us on Pioneer Engage.”
Sophomore kinesiology pre-physical therapy major Itzel Martinez said she came to the Spring Involvement Fair because she felt as though she hadn’t been exposed to all of the organizations TWU had to offer. Martinez is a transfer student and was active in organizations at the community college she went to.
“I made a lot of good connections, and you’re going to get that in a club no matter what, especially if you’re here at TWU where everyone is really nice,” Martinez said. “That is why I think it is really important to get involved. I have been, and I’ve been seeing the results, so I’m just going to follow through and continue doing that.”
Onwukwe said she loved how the event turned out, and for future organization fairs, she wants to use the whole ballroom instead of half so more orgs can show up.
“There was just a lot of people,” Onwukwe said. “It was very joyful. People enjoyed their time, and I could see that.”
Plamedie Ifasso can be reached via email at pifasso@twu.edu.
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