As the Fall semester begins, Lewis University held its first community hour event during the first week of classes. With a load of new and returning faces, the year started off with the annual Student Engagement Fair.
Held on Wednesday, August 28th in the Lewis fieldhouse, the Student Engagement Fair is a community event that allows students to explore different clubs, organizations and extracurriculars that are offered by the university.
The Student Engagement Fair is an experience for all students. Whether a student is already a part of an extracurricular and is looking to join others, or a student is new to the campus and is looking to get involved. The fair gives students insight to different ways to become an active and engaging member of Lewis.
This year’s fair displayed an array of different clubs and organizations eager to add more members. Students had the chance to roam the fieldhouse and explore different booths to see what aligned with their interests, giving them the chance to discover new passions. The Student Engagement Fair is not only about finding different organizations to join, but about building connections and friendships to make the most out of their time here at Lewis.
This year, students were able to explore different organizations such as Lewis’ WLRA radio station, Jet Fuel Review and Best Buddies. Students also got to explore clubs that emphasize inclusivity and representation such as the Black Student Union, Gender Sexuality Alliance and Latin American Student Organization. Lewis also is home to multiple Greek Life chapters, including the Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority and Alpha Eta Rho Fraternity that are eager for new members.
Many students shared their excitement about this year’s fair. Jessica Plewa, a junior Public Relations/Advertising major, commented “I think the engagement fair is important to have for students who want to get involved but don’t know how. Coming from a commuter myself, I know most of us don’t know where to get our information from and the fair is a great place to start! Especially for incoming freshmen and transfers as well.”
Meanwhile, Angela Sahagun, junior Public Relations/Advertising major and president of the Sigma Lamba Gamma Sorority chapter at Lewis, had the chance to host her organization’s booth, and inform prospective members about the organization. She explained that, “The goal was to spread our organization and to get a list of interests. About 30-50 females put their name and info for us to keep in touch. My favorite part was talking about our mission statement and getting to know the females who were interested.”
The Student Engagement Fair showcases how there is a spot for everyone at Lewis. Being an incoming freshman or transfer student can be a scary experience, but Lewis is anything but short of extracurriculars that can bring students a sense of community.
Participating in clubs and organizations here at Lewis goes beyond creating bonds and connections. It’s also about the journey of personal growth. No matter what club, organization, or extracurricular a student joins, they have the chance to develop leadership skills and advance already existing skills that can later be demonstrated after their time at Lewis.
In case you were unable to attend the Student Engagement Fair, there are still many opportunities to join your favorite clubs and organizations. For more information, visit the Office for Student Engagement and Multicultural Student Enrichment (SEMSE), located in the Brother James Gaffney Center, room JG-14, or email StudentActivities@lewisu.edu.
Photo Credits: Matthew Carlson
