With over 1,000 organizations listed in the online student directory, student organizations make up a core tenant of U.Va. culture. The Fall Activities Fair occurs before classes begin in August and traditionally draws an enormous crowd. Leaders of organizations hand out flyers, speak to new students and gather emails for listservs. There are popsicles, free stickers and lots of water bottles. After signing up for a dozen or so clubs, students typically end up settling on one or two organizations and dedicate a significant portion of their time to them. It is common for students to fill their evenings with CIO meetings and intramural sporting events.
Throughout the semester students attend meetings, volunteer, organize events and run for executive boards. While some of these activities take place solely on Grounds, many clubs take students out of the University and into the Charlottesville community. Some clubs involve out-of-state, and even out-of-country, travel. This increased engagement with the community enriches students’ University experience and broadens their horizons. Organizations run the gamut from social, political, athletic, to volunteer-based, and they all embody the active and global spirit of UVA. They also serve as an important network for students seeking to get involved and share their passions with others.
Since student organizations make up such a large part of University life, it is appropriate to highlight a successful and diverse pool of student organizations in The Cavalier Daily. This will allow alumni to find out what is happening in current student organizations and potentially offer support. Including contact information for leaders of an organization may also help the club recruit incoming members or develop new contacts in the community. A weekly spotlight could serve to promote a culture of inclusivity and ensure a wide range of student perspectives are included in the newspaper. In addition to well-established undergraduate organizations, The Cavalier Daily could use the opportunity to feature graduate clubs and their achievements.
In addition, increased coverage of student clubs and groups may highlight strengths and weaknesses of the current CIO system. Students who have founded their own clubs, and gone through the process of forming a CIO may provide helpful perspectives for others who seek to follow in their footsteps. Interviews with student leaders can also serve as a platform for students to discuss the challenges they have faced, and offer advice to students considering leadership positions in these organizations. Weekly features would bring more students into the fold, and increase engagement with The Cavalier Daily. This discussion is particularly timely, as the winter activity fair will be held today, Jan. 27. The vast range of students’ passions and talents ought to be celebrated, and shared with the community at large. The Cavalier Daily provides a unique and ideal avenue for spotlighting these student organizations.
Jacquelyn Katuin is the Public Editor for The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at publiceditor@cavalierdaily.com or on Twitter at @CDPublicEditor.
Read More
PARTING SHOT: Sometimes it’s okay to fake a smile
By Alexandra Holmes | 21 hours agoI surrounded myself with people who were so enthusiastic about the University and its potential, that after a while, it was impossible not to feel their passion and their convictions rub off on me.
PARTING SHOT: Girl, what did you expect?
By Cecy Juárez | YesterdayAdvocate for yourself unabashedly, even and especially when you feel like you don’t belong.
PARTING SHOT: Revisiting old comments
By Claire DiLorenzo | YesterdayIn retirement, I am also trying not to be hard on myself — I don’t have to hold onto all the mistakes that I made as an editor.
