The Fall Involvement Fair kicked off the new semester by promoting several clubs and organizations on campus, representing the diverse and inclusive nature of the campus. The fair ran from 11:30am-1:30pm on August 31, 2023. During the event, clubs and organizations sought to recruit new members.
Kristie Young, a member of the Office of Student Engagement, helped in the planning prior to the Festival and throughout the day’s festivities. Many students signed up as new members at the clubs’ information tables. Jason Carst performed live music.
Carst performed for two hours at the fair. He played the acoustic guitar and entertained the crowd with his rendition of at least 500 cover songs of classic rock, pop, and country tunes. His music added to the day as many students got acquainted.
Adrienne Thoman, Coordinator of Student Clubs and Leadership programs at Penn State Harrisburg, shared her insight into the purpose of the event.
“Twice a year, all active clubs come out to share what they are doing with the campus at large,” Thoman shared. “More students become actively engaged with other students on campus,” she added.
The Programming Activities Committee (PAC) was one of the many clubs promoting themselves to the fair attendees. The committee hosts free events for all Penn State Harrisburg students on and off campus.
Sabine Kabuika and Ixzara Irvera are two key contacts for PAC. Kabuika explained what the role of the committee is and how they get students involved.
“We do a number of events such as entertainment trips to New York to a Broadway show,” Kabuika said. “We’ll do inside novelties, free things like Yeti cups, or hand sanitizers that are then available to students for free,” she added.
As for where PAC is located, there is no specific location.
“We don’t have an office. We meet in classroom W117 every Thursday from 11:30am to 12:30pm,” Kabuika mentioned. “We discuss ideas and prepare for events that can help students, so students don’t have to pay a lot,” she added.
Kabuika also discussed how anyone interested in becoming a member of PAC can suggest different trip ideas. Most students can participate without paying or at least at a reduced cost. Students can find an interest form to fill out on PAC’s Instagram page.
The Officers of the Astronomy Club were also at the fair with a great photo of the “Blue Moon” which won’t be seen again for a good number of years. Shawn Black, Secretary, Noah Massari, President, and Logan Saunders, Vice President, were the officers promoting the club. They answered questions that interested students asked. Meetings are at the Science and Technology Building, but the days and times are still being ironed out.
The meetings typically start outside the building. There are connections on Instagram, Discord, and sign-up sheets for emails.
International Students Services, a unit within the Office of Student Affairs, was also present at the meet-up. Assistant Director Dr. Charles Lord was one of the officers there to promote his faction of the Student Affairs team. The meetings are held in the Olmsted Building in room E134 on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
Dr. Lord, who also helps lead the Global Ambassadors, explained what his office contributes to campus.
“What they are actually doing is the cool cultural events that you may have heard about that go on throughout the year like the Indian Festivals of Navratri, Holi, and Diwali,” Lord described. “Then there are also the Chinese Festivals like the Lunar New Year or Mid-Autumn Festival,” he added.
Check out more information on the FBLA.org website or contact the Student Affairs or the Global Ambassadors Offices. The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is the largest business Career and Technical Student Organization in the world.
Chioma Kalu was one of the students on the scene for the involvement fair. She is a sophomore majoring in the Pre-Med/Biology program. She was checking out new clubs to join, and she came across three Christian student groups. These groups include “Impact Fellowship,” a Christian/Church fellowship, Inter-varsity Christian, a Bible study group, and Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), a conservative group with a belief in traditional values. Kalu likes all three groups, especially YAF.
“The students in the group on campus are kind and cool, and I get to learn more every time that I’m there,” Kalu said of the club.
There are always a lot of clubs and activities to join to keep your life interesting and enjoyable. Check out all the possibilities, and a good place to start is to ask some questions on campus by speaking with Student Enrichment Center (SEC) staff. One of the best ways to discover what fits your interests while on campus is to stop into the office or check out these links to the SEC website. There will be another involvement fair next semester to check out if you missed this one.
