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Getting Involved on campus improves connections
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Students can become too involved on campus
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Student on-campus involvement would like to be increased
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Being involved allows students to pursue their passions alongside people with similar ideas
Campus involvement is beneficial to students and the Durango community. There are opportunities for both individual and community growth.
The Importance of Being Involved on Campus
Getting Involved on campus improves connections both professionally and socially, Patricia Dommer, Career Services Coordinator at Fort Lewis College, said.
“It’s a great edition to your resume,” Dommer said.
“If one can show campus involvement, it shows interest in leadership,” she said. “They are getting outside of their comfort zone and not just interacting with their friends, you are meeting new people.”
Leaving one’s comfort zone is a lot easier said than done, Hailey Edwards, FLC junior, said. She is highly involved on campus.
Edwards is the facility manager at the Student Life Center and is involved in the TRIO program. Last year she was part of the cheerleading team, she said.
“I think it is important so that you can get the best experience you can get,” Edwards said.
Edwards has benefited greatly by being involved on campus, she said.
“It’s how you can meet really cool people, and I feel it’s important to be involved because later you can get different experiences that you can value later in life,” She said.
“It is critical students find a community, a group of peers that they are comfortable with,” Director of the Leadership Center at FLC, Mark Mastalski said.
This allows students to pursue their passions with people with similar interests.
The message is simple, get involved, create your place, Mastalski said. There are approximately 70 organizations on campus that are available for students to get involved with, he said.
There are groups that are tied to a major, a faith based organization, or interests based groups like KDUR, FLC’s radio station, Mastalski said. Club sports and intramural sports as well as Outdoor pursuits are included.
Cons to Being Involved on Campus
There are few cons to being involved, Mastalski said.
Time management is essential for being successful, Dommer said. Many students’ schedules are already jam packed between school and work, Mastalski said.
When adding a club or activity to their schedule often times students get overwhelmed, Edwards said.
“I’d say that the only con about being involved is time management you really have to get used to fitting different things into your schedule,” Edwards said.
Being involved can get a little stressful when due dates start piling up for all of your life’s deadlines, Mastalski said.
“We have students who are too involved.” Mastalski said.
As a result, those students see a turn for the worst in their academics because they pay too much attention to their club, Mastalski said.
“It becomes the priority and then their academics start to fall off,” he said.
Being involved on campus is a lot of work Edwards said.
“My time was very limited, but it was definitely worth it,” she said.
Changes Liked to be Seen
“I would like to see more students take advantage of the opportunities they have,” Dommer said.
“School pride is something that i would like to see more of,” Mastalski said, “I would love to see an increase in those areas that bring about a high level of school spirit.”
Students should become fans and loyal to Fort Lewis College. To truly embrace the spirit. Mastalski said.
“Be proud to be a Skyhawk and be proud showing it,” Mastalski said.