Miranda Parrish
Elm Staff Writer
The Student Government Association hosted its biannual Club Festival on Friday, Feb. 10 on the first floor of Hodson Hall, giving campus organizations the opportunity to spread their plans for this semester and gain more members.
The event was organized by SGA, and many different campus clubs were in attendance from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., including groups like Archeology Club, Shore Steppers, Musician’s Union, and Greek life organization.
Vice President of SGA senior Jonah Nicholson said that the event acts as a way for clubs to “put themselves out there,” recruit new members, and “really show face to the campus community.”
“Club Festival plays an important role in the activity of clubs, especially getting in front of the freshmen and being able to get in contact with other members,” Nicholson said. “But most of the work is done by the clubs themselves and the individual work that they put in.”
Nicholson was the head organizer behind the event and oversaw most of the fair from the SGA table. They also played music for all to enjoy.
One club table in attendance at the festival, Peer Sexual Misconduct Advocacy and Response Team (S.M.A.R.T.), was ran by its president junior Jordan Fairchild.
According to Fairchild, Peer S.M.A.R.T. is a group of WC students who advocate for sexual health and wellness among the study body. They also promote education on topics like consent, bystander intervention, and safe sex practices.
The original Peer S.M.A.R.T. organization diminished following COVID-19 quarantine, but the club is planning to return this semester.
Club Festival allowed Fairchild to begin to market the organization to interested students.
“I decided to pick it up because I’ve become very interested in psychology and topics such as sexuality, and gender, and sex therapy,” Fairchild said. “And I feel the campus could benefit from sexual health and wellness education.”
Other organizations like WC’s Student Events Board aimed to not only gain members but increase sign-ups for Birthday Ball set-up.
“For Club Festival, SEB’s executive board mainly wanted to share what we do as a club and what students would be doing as new members,” SEB Vice President sophomore Vani Chauhan said. “Getting more help with Birthday Ball, which is always such a massive undertaking, was just a benefit of that.”
In the few days leading up to Birthday Ball on Saturday, Feb. 25, SEB is taking volunteers to help put up decorations and set up lights and sound systems. The first 100 people to sign up and complete a 2 hour shift will receive a limited edition Birthday Ball 2023 crewneck.
Students could sign up via QR code at the SEB’s Club Festival table. A link was also sent campus wide.
According to Chauhan, Club Festival acts as a great opportunity for students to pursue organizations that they are aware of but may not know the exact details of, like SEB.
It is also a chance for students to branch out of their comfort zones and find new passions and interests.
SGA hosts the festival in the first few weeks of each new semester, so clubs and interested students will have the opportunity to participate again in fall of 2023.
Photo courtesy of WC IdeaWorks
Photo Caption: Many organizations like the WC Makers Union put products or objects on display at the festival.