Members of NSSLHA Xavierite
The Student Life department held an annual Registered Student Organization (RSO) fair on Sept. 4 at the Schmitt Quad for students to socialize and discover the different organizations involved on campus that connect with their interests.
Being involved in student organizations will not only expand the college experience, but can build skills, friendships, and connections that can help students achieve post-graduation careers.
Members of Student Life, including Giuliana Islas, Orientation and Belonging Coordinator, were involved in the planning of RSO alongside Blanca Correa, Student Development Specialist. Islas speaks on the thorough process of establishing the event this year and her excitement for students exploring the opportunities available on campus.
“We wanted to make sure that the RSOs felt included and can promote themselves from the start of the school year,” says Islas. “We know that these first two to three weeks are the most important of the school year in terms of getting involved so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity for not just first year students but all students to find out how they can get involved and they make the best out of their college experience.
Although there was a “dip” of students that attended RSO last year, more students took part in this year’s event than expected with around 400 students attendees, says Islas.
Upon entering the Schmitt Quad, students are greeted with a hallway of tables, each representing a different organization. These include clubs focusing on specific majors, games, mentorship, and connecting of minority communities.
Islas, an alumni of SXU, shares her own experience of being involved in student organizations on campus. “Had I just come to SXU, done my classes and left, I would not be as happy as I am now having graduated. Having been involved really makes a difference in a student’s overall achievement as well.”
“When it comes to the student’s experience, it shouldn’t be just going to classes. There’s a lot more that goes into creating that college experience,” she says.
Senior student, Emily Saldana, president of The Green Movement and Start by Believing club explains that since joining the organization, she has had a positive experience. Her involvement has allowed her to become more comfortable with pushing herself outside her comfort zone and easily becoming more communicative with people.
Saldana explains her interest in joining these clubs came from always having cared for the environment and animals, as she is also majoring in biology and natural sciences while minoring in environmental and sustainable studies.
Islas explains the process of creating the RSO event began at the beginning of July, one of Islas first projects since being hired over the summer. The process consisted of reaching out and contacting many different RSOs to register for the fair to remain active throughout the school year. Aid from other vendors were included in the fair as students were treated to empanadas, popcorn, water, and a Bubbl’r tent all served at no charge.
“It was a bunch of little puzzle pieces being put together,” she says. “It was a team effort, you can’t have just one person do this. That’s what made the event turn out successful.”
The RSOs were eager to share information about their organization as they stood behind their tables. Included are some of their experiences working within the clubs themselves.
SXU offers organizations that have become safe spaces for minority communities and advocates for their causes. One of these RSOs include Student for the Justice for Palestine (SJP), which advocates for the liberation, human rights, and self determination for the Palestinian people.
President of SJP, Jena Kanaan says, “People need to care for humanity and that includes the Palestinian people.” Kanaan mentions she’s always been part of organizations and joined SJP in ensuring she’s doing her part advocating for these rights for Palestine.
Another minority group includes the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA). The president of the RSO, Angela Estrada, explains that the organization was shut down after COVID, however it only recently reopened last semester.
Estrada mentions that upon reopening the organization, many members from the Latino community came back excited to have an RSO with not only representation, but one that included many opportunities such as internships, scholarships, building networks, and connecting with employers of the same background.
Estrada says ALPEA has helped members with mentorship, motivation, and inspiration to discover new interests and build connections for the future.
Additionally, RSO minority organizations include Black Student Union (B.S.U) from whom the president, Johnnetta Washington, says that since joining the organization, she has enjoyed every second of it. While the organization helps to empower Black voices on campus, it is done so in creative ways, such as creating annual fashion shows for the SXU community, creating game nights, and having meetings surrounding the current and relevant topics. Washington describes B.S.U as “finding a place who looks like you and is a safe space.”
Many RSOs provided on campus are focused primarily on gaining opportunities within your major and experiences of your desired career field. By joining these clubs, you can make connections, gain hands-on knowledge, and learn additional skills to add onto your resume.
One RSO driven by the Communication Sciences and Disorders major is The National Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) which aims to provide free services and support SXU families within the diverse communities. They also strive to promote awareness towards speech disorders.
The organization holds professional panels from speech language pathologists who will share their experiences with students and give insight of the pathology occupation, says Melanie Greenspan, assistant professor in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department.
A student majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Ella Kargh, is a member of the RSO and says that since starting, she has been “getting more opportunities within the major that you don’t get in a classroom.” Kargh mentions that the organization has strengthened her reasons and interest within the field.
Kargh says being a board member of NSSLHA has allowed her to gain leadership skills, understand the process of being behind the scenes, meet new people, and get involved within the community.
There has been a consistent urge for students to become more involved within the RSOs provided on the SXU campus, as being associated with clubs can make the student’s college experience much more enjoyable and social. Student’s will be able to discover new careers and hobbies that interest them while finding the connections in those fields to prepare students after graduation. Students can check The Den website for upcoming events held by RSOs.
Correction: On September 12th, this column was edited for a feature photo and grammar fix.