Ohio State has over 1,400 student organizations for incoming students to get involved on campus. Credit: Lantern File Photo
Whether you’re looking to continue your interests, serve your community or make new friends, getting involved at Ohio State is easier than it seems. For new Buckeyes, it can be a crucial step to feeling at home.
Meeting people is an important objective for incoming students as they enter an entirely new environment, said Brooke Olson, assistant director for Student Organizations at Ohio State.
“You can meet people in a variety of ways, but one of the first ways that a lot of people start to explore is through student organizations,” Olson said.
The university has over 1,400 student organizations focused on a variety of interests. These clubs help students find community and belonging, which is a critical component of student success, Olson said. Because these organizations are entirely student-led, students can explore and develop leadership skills while representing their interests and passions, Olson said.
One of these student organizations is the Ohio Union Activities Board, or OUAB. Students can attend a variety of free events hosted by OUAB throughout the school year.
Taylor Crates, a third-year in neuroscience and vice president of OUAB, said in an email that they put on a wide range of events so that every student can feel like their niche is fulfilled, whether that be concerts, comedy shows, lectures or other special events.
“With our wide variety of programming, we ensure that students feel at home, and like they have a community to lean on,” Crates said.
Crates also said OUAB helped her feel included on campus.
“Getting to move, plan and execute every week for any event with my closest friends will be something I will forever cherish,” said Crates. “The laughs, jokes and seriousness of OUAB shows what we truly are about. Family.”
Outside of OUAB, there are plenty of other student organizations that can take everyday interests and make them a bonding experience for students. The women’s basketball club is an example of how a recreational sport can build a strong community.
Julia Reichert, president of the women’s basketball club at Ohio State, said continuing to play the sport she’s grown up playing has helped her build relationships with others who have similar backgrounds. Reichert has been able to learn how to lead a judgment-free environment, while learning more about herself.
“We’ve all played basketball for so long, I think we all kind of just have the same interests, same values, like we’re just kind of all the same,” Reichert said, “and through that, I’ve been able to build lifelong friends, like I would literally call them family, we’re so tight.”
According to Ohio State’s Student Activities website, the Autumn Student Involvement Fair will take place on Aug. 24 from 4-7 p.m. Tables promoting student organizations will be spread throughout the Oval and South Oval, where students can connect with several organizations to expand their involvement on campus beyond attending class.
Students can access the student organization directory to search for specific groups or clubs. The advanced search feature allows organizations to be filtered depending on interests. Additionally, students can schedule a consultation with a student organization success coach to receive a curated list of recommended student organizations based on their interests and availability, said Olson.
“Beyond the involvement fair, student orgs are recruiting and meeting and hosting events the entire year, so it’s never a wrong time to start to find student organizations,” Olson said.
