Want to perform Bollywood dance, start a radio show, learn about a different culture, or save the whales?
There’s a Goucher club for that … probably. And if not, no worries: It’s not rocket science to start a club about whatever you want, like hydroponic gardening, ’80s comics, or even rocket science.
New club charters were recently put on hold because of a transitioning student government, but things are back in gear, and the first funding petition deadline is this Friday, September 26. The Student Government Club Administrator Jane Srebro said starting a club, or being a part of a current one, is often an important part of the college experience. “I think it’s a great way for students to find their way,” she said.
Julia Gerhardt ’17 started Improv Club last year after speaking with peers who were interested. “I’ve done improv for years, and I wanted people to have the same kind of fun I’ve had,” said the English major from California. The club meets weekly, playing games, doing scenes, and deconstructing what goes right and what goes wrong during improv.
Since Julia started the group the second semester of her first year, she said it was nice to hit the ground running this time around. And, as the club grows, a new goal is to perform in the Gopher Hole and maybe beyond.
Thomas Rakes ’15 said one of his biggest goals this year is grooming new leaders to make sure the Animal Rights Club, which he started last year, continues after he leaves. The group of about 15 people currently focuses supporting the Maryland SPCA at an animal shelter in Baltimore City.
He initially started the club last fall when he realized it was an efficient way to raise funds for the organization. But it has branched out since, with a dog play day during exams, bake sales, and students volunteering together at the shelter.
Though initially it was his friends who came, Thomas said a club has been a good place for meeting like-minded peers he hadn’t known before. “It’s been really cool,” said the environmental studies major from Virginia. It has also been good for networking off campus because he’s met others with similar interests in the area and worked with the nonprofit’s community outreach director.
Jane, who in addition to Goucher Student Government, is a part of the Rotary-sponsored Rotaract Club, the Arabic Club, and the Food Recovery Network. Like most students, she started with a bunch of clubs and stuck with a few.
“I think clubs really are the place for students to learn outside the classroom,” said the international relations major from New Jersey. “It’s not just friends hanging out; it’s people with a similar interest hanging out and talking and doing what they enjoy.”
Official on-campus clubs are chartered through the Goucher Student Government. To start a new club, students need to fill out a form, create a mission statement, recruit members, appoint a president and treasurer, and present to Club Council, which decides whether to approve the group.
Micah Heaney, an environmental studies and business major from Vermont, co-founded an American Sign Language club last fall. He said starting a club is not a challenging process, but he does recommend discussing the idea with an Office of Student Engagement staff member to understand the process and checking that there isn’t an existing club on the topic. “At a small campus like ours, it’s easy to get excited about starting a new thing and accidentally undermine or ignore someone else’s work,” he said.
Because some clubs deactivate through the years, Jane said they also check to make sure a new interest isn’t actually an old interest because activating an existing account is simple. “We want to ensure the clubs that need funding are getting it and that all groups are supporting one another,” she said.
Advantages for official Goucher clubs include funding opportunities and the ability to register rooms or space on campus. Also, if they want to bring a speaker to campus, the student government helps with the contract and funding.
Have an idea for a club?
The first funding petition deadline is Friday, September 26, at 3 p.m. in the Office of Student Engagement. Students can locate a chartering form here. Contact Club Administrator Jane Srebro at jasre001@mail.goucher.edu with any questions.
Or, want to learn more about existing clubs? Visit here.
Photo: Goucher a cappella group Red, Hot, Blue