West Chester University hosted the annual involvement fair on Sept. 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the academic quad. Due to the recent construction on the quad during the summer, well over 100 organizations had tables set up on the path circling the green space.
“It’s a great way to learn about the organizations on campus,” said student Colleen Curry,“and to get involved, of course.”
“It encourages students to get involved sooner rather than later,” added student Mike Kalage.
The involvement fair is particularly beneficial for first-year and transfer students who are new to West Chester’s campus. The fair gives students an opportunity to meet the leaders of the numerous organizations West Chester has to offer, including academic organizations, intramural sports, music clubs, religious and cultural organizations, service and volunteer organizations, and Greek life, among others.
Business owners from the borough of West Chester also made the trip to campus for the involvement fair. There were several tables dedicated to local restaurants, banks, and businesses, owners and workers looking for an opportunity to connect with the students who have such an impact on their businesses.
“I made sure to stop by Landmark Americana’s table when I heard they were giving away free food,” said student Hanna Kuhl. “That’s definitely one way to get students talking about your business.”
The involvement fair had an excellent turnout, with most organizations boasting several pages of interested students. Over the course of the fair’s four hours, the foot traffic around the academic quad made it hard to navigate because of how many students were lingering at the tables.
“Everyone knows our years at West Chester are going to go fast,” Kalage said, “and you don’t want to be a senior and look back and regret not doing something sooner.”
For any students who missed the involvement fair, the next best thing is making an account on OrgSync, West Chester’s best resource to staying involved. Students can do this by going to orgsync.com/login/west-chester-university-of-pennsylvania and selecting the “Register Now” option. There are more than 250 organizations linked to West Chester University’s OrgSync, and all of them would likely welcome new student members.
Clare Haggerty is a fourth-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at CH757342@wcupa.edu.