Student Activities Fair successful once more

By Cameron Rogers

With a high attendance and an even greater student interest in the various clubs and organizations, the 2014 Hood Student Activities Fair proved to be one of the most successful installments yet.

The fair’s purpose is to introduce the freshman population to all of the extracurricular activities going on around campus. It also allows returning students to see what new organizations have sprung up since the previous year.

Some new additions to the fair’s lineup of over 40 clubs include the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), the Russian Cultural Club, and Sisters Aspiring to Success. The Outdoor Adventure Club is another new addition to the fair.

The fair started at 9 a.m. at the Whitaker Commons last Wednesday. Within minutes of it beginning, dozens of Hood students poured into the room where it was held.

“I’m excited for this year,” Thomas Marino, of the Outdoor Adventure Club said. “A lot more students signed up than I had expected. Most were very enthusiastic about the club and its events.” He mentioned that the sign-up roster for the club had been completely filled.

Ashley Schlanken, a member of the Class of 2018, said that she liked the good variety of clubs present at the fair, though she thought it was too loud. She joined CAB, the International Club, and the Student Government Association.

“The clubs all seem nice,” said Forrest Price, another freshman who attended the fair. “I thought everything was well-organized and successful.” The Black Student Union and Model UN were his two main interests at the Student Activities Fair.

Club leaders seemed very optimistic about their organizations’ futures, citing the high amount of new students interested in joining them.
“The turnout was really good,” said Curtis Stubbs, president of BSU and member of the Class of 2016. “Last year, we had half the people [sign up] than this year. It was better than we expected.”

With the large attendance and overall high interest in the clubs, the Student Activities Fair proved to be a success once again. In spite of its 50 minute duration, the fair’s impact will greatly bolster the number of students involved in extracurricular organizations.