{"id":5501,"date":"2017-05-14T15:30:25","date_gmt":"2017-05-14T20:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=5501"},"modified":"2017-05-15T15:57:48","modified_gmt":"2017-05-15T20:57:48","slug":"maryville-student-organizations-top-100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/maryville-student-organizations-top-100\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryville Students Get Organized – and Set Record"},"content":{"rendered":"

An abundance of student interest groups and activities make Maryville students feel at home on campus \u2014 even if they don\u2019t live here.<\/em><\/p>\n

When Kelly Freeman entered 91制片厂 in 2013, she wondered whether being a commuter student would prevent her from knowing what was happening on campus and becoming involved.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was very nervous,\u201d Freeman says.<\/p>\n

But soon Freeman faced a very different dilemma: fitting the many opportunities she\u2019d discovered into her schedule. Her interests range from the Empower feminist group to the Inclusion at Maryville multicultural organization to the Association of Black Collegians (ABC).<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are a highly active campus,\u201d Freeman says.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Milestone: 100 Student Organizations <\/strong><\/p>\n

That wasn\u2019t always the case, in part because the number of students who sought involvement was limited. During the 2000-2001 school year, for example, enrollment was 3,000 students. There were just 22 student groups and 100 organized events.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to this year: Maryville\u2019s enrollment is nearly 7,000 students, with the freshman class alone having increased by a staggering 47 percent over the previous year. Student organizations topped 100 for the first time and the number of registered events has climbed to 1,300.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Students often take the lead in creating new activities and clubs, according to Vice President of Student Life Nina Caldwell, EdD.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are a student-centered campus. We want students to bring their gifts and talents to help make us better,\u201d Caldwell says. \u201cIf a student doesn\u2019t find a club that speaks to their passion or interest, we tell them, \u2018Come talk to us,\u2019 and we help them develop this experience and invite everyone to join.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clubs spearheaded by students include Notorious \u2014 the acapella singing group,<\/p>\n

the Muslim Student Association and the ABLE organization of students of all abilities.<\/p>\n

The growth in campus activity is directly related to the increase in Maryville\u2019s enrollment. It\u2019s a matter of scalability, says Brian Gardner, assistant dean and director of student involvement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see greater opportunity for students \u2014 access to new experiences, ability to grow and learn more, the opportunity to do things with new people that students wouldn\u2019t be able to do without the growth,\u201d he says. \u201cFor instance, I get notes from alumni every year after the leadership trip to Disney about how jealous they are that we didn\u2019t do that when they were here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maryville now boasts students from all 50 states and 55 countries. And every one of them has dozens of ways to learn from each other \u2014 or just enjoy being together, Gardner says.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018We All Have Something to Share\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gardner is a longtime witness to the growth in student activity. When he first arrived on campus as a freshman 18 years ago, Maryville was what he called a \u201csuitcase campus.\u201d Even resident students disappeared at the end of the week.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost students lived within two hours of campus. They packed a suitcase and went home for the weekends,\u201d Gardner says. \u201cBut now there are times I\u2019m here at 11 p.m. and they\u2019re lined up outside Louie\u2019s to get a snack.\u201d<\/p>\n

A member of the student involvement team for the past 14 years, Gardner has been part of targeted efforts to make Maryville the center of activity it is today. It\u2019s been a multi-pronged approach involving students as much as staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis growth didn\u2019t happen by accident,\u201d Gardner says. \u201cWe were intentional about making student life as easy and enjoyable as possible for students.\u00a0We created opportunities for students and with students, and all along the way they brought their peers with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

One popular event is the annual Foam Party, which is now considered a Maryville tradition.<\/p>\n

\u201cNearly 900 students showed up this year to dance with light sticks in a pit filled with foam,\u201d Gardner says.<\/p>\n

Another favorite, the annual Cram Jam, offers a nighttime breakfast and prizes to students who study together for finals. And a thriving Quidditch club invites students to take part in a sport played with broomsticks that\u2019s right out of Harry Potter<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Like Freeman, sophomore Ulices Zuniga is a member of the ABC.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to learn about other people\u2019s cultures,\u201d Zuniga says. \u201cWe all have something to share.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zuniga is from Mexico. He enjoys talking with other students about his family back in Yucatan and his favorite childhood foods. When he first visited Maryville and learned about the Latino Student Alliance and other organizations that foster cultural understanding, Zuniga knew he belonged here.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaryville is welcoming, and people are curious instead of judgmental,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

In addition to participating in diversity activities, Zuniga plays soccer, football, basketball and ping-pong. He attends campus concerts and goes on laser tag outings. \u201cI do a little bit of everything,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Zuniga, who lives on campus, immerses himself in multiple environments for both personal and professional reasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to be a teacher,\u201d he says. \u201cI will have students who come from many different backgrounds and social classes. You have to understand their experiences or you won\u2019t be able to teach them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStudent Life is an integral part of shaping the student experience on college campuses,\u201d Caldwell says. \u201cThese experiences provide students with the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This article first appeared in the Spring 2017 edition of Maryville Magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n

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