Activities Fair sparks interest: New clubs gain recognition
Photo Credit: gettysburg.edu
By Kevin Wright, contributing writer
Stine Lake hosted the 2016 Gettysburg College Activities Fair this past Friday, September 2, during a bright and breezy evening. Students had an opportunity to peruse more than 90 organizations that consisted of community service, the arts, political action, health, academics and more. After a busy week of students adjusting to their class schedules, this was one way to spend a Friday night with other students and learn about the many extra-curricular programs offered here at Gettysburg.
Representatives from the organizations offered information for any interested students along with many sugary treats including candy bars and the Mock Trial club’s popsicles. Sophomore Christina Noto will serve as the Clubs Liaison from the Student Senate during the 2016 – 2017 year.
In years past, the Campus Activities Board (CAB) organized and sponsored the activities fair. This year was a little different with the event being sponsored by the Office of Student Activities and Greek Life. CAB was still in attendance as they offered information about the many programs that they organize throughout the school year.
The student-run organization is always looking for new ideas and contributions to its programming, which is why CAB holds meetings open to any and all students who are interested at 4 p.m. every Monday in Plank basement. The aim of this organization is to make the Gettysburg College campus a great place to have fun and work hard.
While CAB is not new to the college, a new organization at the fair was the Global Gettysburg Series. This community of globally aware students is sponsoring a series of lectures, film viewings and food tastings that showcase cultures and people from many different parts of the world. The series will showcase a different region each week for six weeks total: South Asia, East Asia, The Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and Middle East/North Africa. The first series starts Sept. 19 and will include a lecture on the aversion of the general public to practicing Muslims after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, as well as a Moroccan food tasting. This program offers an opportunity for students to gain a new perspective on some of the many complex geo-political issues that are affecting Americans both directly and indirectly.
Another new organization was Nerd Nation, and the club is in the building stages as it begins to make some executive decisions.
“Nerd Nation will be a place where people of all fandom, whether that be movies, comic books or television can come together and get to know one another and have fun,” said Tatiana Woliung, president and founder of the club.
With 2016 being an election year in the United States, many passionate student-run political organizations were on hand to give their “stump speech” to new students or anyone passing by. These organizations included Young Democrats, Young Republicans, the far-right Young Americans for Freedom, the far-left Anti-Capitalist Collective and the Libertarian Young Americans for Liberty. The Young Americans for Liberty club is excited about Gettysburg alumnus Ron Paul ’67, a former Libertarian candidate for President, coming to speak at the school this fall.
One of the great things about Gettysburg College is the respectful discourse that goes on everyday here at campus. With a multitude of seemingly contradictory ideas, one might think that passions can run too high and result in animosity and conflict among the students, but this is not the case.
“I liked how clubs with different founding values, some even opposite, were able to coexist in the same space. It shows the cooperation of the campus,” said first year Emily Reese.
The diversity of ideas, cultural backgrounds, and talents at Gettysburg were fully represented at the activities fair. The first year students had a chance to discover the club that meets their interests.
