The Student Organization Fair returned for students looking for a group that aligned with their interests and passions. Last week, many students showed up during lunch hour to see what organizations were on display.
Despite the cold weather and cramped space, organizations could not be stopped from showing up at the fair.
“I think it’s very important for our organizations to be out and the students to hear what their options are on campus,” said Jen Gibbs, pastor for Kearney Campus Ministry. “It’s still important to push through the cold and the craziness of the Union to talk to the students so they know what’s available to them.”
Compared to last spring’s 37 organizations, the number has declined to 30 organizations showing up over the three-day event. However, the options were diverse which gave everyone a chance to find something suitable for them.
This includes organizations such as Woman are Problematic, Turning Point USA and the Speech Team..
“A lot of people don’t know we exist,” said Charlie Bales, a member of the Speech Team. “It’s really important to get the word out here to let students know they exist and that there is a place for people who might be interested in what they are promoting.”
A mixture of older and newer organizations out to represent themselves had members feeling welcomed by students and other organizations. All the organizations were open to diverse members despite it looking like it was for one specific audience. Members of the Korean Student Association hope to share their culture with others who may not know much about it.
“We’re not only limited to Korean, we’re open to everyone else who would like to experience Korean culture,” said Yunju Park, a member of the Korean Student Association. “We’re always looking for volunteers to come help us, learn culture and share the culture together.”
Each booth had something to represent what they were about. This ranged from showcasing culture with the Hispanic Student Association, to UNK Students For Life with their wall of pictures, to Pi Kappa Alpha decking out in their club’s colors.
Luke Pryzmus, speaker of the Senate, said he encourages students to also check out the organizations that weren’t represented at the fair.
“UNK has a ton of student organizations that are always popping up and rebuilding,” Przymus said. “Events like this are nice, but at the end of the day students really should find what they are passionate about and see if there is a student organization that represents their values.”
