WelcomeFest helps to find niche

Finding a niche among 38,000 other young adults can be a daunting task. However, attending a large school often provides a big selection of clubs and student organizations to aid in the undertaking. \nOf more than 400 IU associations, a number will be recruiting and showing interested students what they're all about from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at WelcomeFest. \nIn the circle drive outside the Indiana Memorial Union, students can meet with association officers, gather information and find other people who share their ideals. The annual event, co-sponsored by Union Board and the Committee On Multicultural Understanding, will showcase everything from Hoosiers Advocating a Tobacco Free Society to the Web Technology Club.\n"It's a career fair of sorts for campus organizations," Union Board President Drew Goldberg said. "Freshmen can see what resources are available. ... (It's) an excellent opportunity for students to discover what the University has to offer as far as extracurricular activities go."\nClubs from all over campus were invited to set up informational booths in an effort to recruit new members and get their messages out into the student body. \nGoldberg said if this year's event is anything like it has been in the past, clubs can expect to see upwards of 1,000 participants. Locating the festival in a heavily-trafficked area of campus makes it accessible to students who may wander past as well as those who planned to attend.\nCircle K, an extension of what many remember from high school as Key Club, will be one of the clubs attempting to recruit new members by exhibiting posters and handing out suckers with information attached to curious students. \nThis particular organization is committed to serving the area and campus. Circle K members are actively involved in programs like Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and create events such as bingo nights at local nursing homes. \nPresident Leslie Kavanaugh said she hopes the WelcomeFest appearance will bring in students, especially freshmen, who may have been involved in Key Club in the past and are interested in community service. Kavanaugh said although getting involved on campus is important, students should be cautious about trying to do everything available.\n"Pick two or three organizations you really care about," Kavanaugh said. "Choose those and dedicate time (to them). I think that would be more rewarding than being a non-working member in more of them."\nBesides familiarizing freshmen with the plethora of clubs on campus, WelcomeFest will feature groups intended to help students deal with issues they may never have encountered before. \nMaysee Yang-Herr, graduate assistant with COMU, said that just knowing places like the cultural centers exist and that counseling is available can make a world of difference, citing herself as an example.\n"Students need to know these types of offices are here if they need assistance," Yang-Herr said. "I myself was one of those students." \nAfter having difficulty adjusting to life at IU, Yang-Herr discovered fraternity in one of IU's culture centers and consequently decided to stay at IU. \nGoldberg said he thinks there will be enough diverse resources available to catch the interest of any freshman, whether he is looking for leadership opportunities, service projects, or cultural affiliation.\n"Getting involved is a critical part of the college experience -- there's just as much to be learned outside the classroom as inside," he said.\n-- Contact staff writer Jenny Davis at jeedavis@indiana.edu.