Student Organization Fair ‘pretty slow,’ still attracts students

Students were invited to learn more about the different student organizations at West Virginia University on Tuesday.

About 25 organizations were represented at the Student Organization Fair hosted by Student Organization Services and Student Government Association, said Kim Harrison, assistant director of SOS.

Organizations ranging from political clubs such as Amnesty International and the Young Democrats to sports clubs such as the WVU Snowboarding club and the WVU Fencing club were featured at the fair.

Michael Lindon, president of WVU's Fencing Club, said he found the fair very effective for his organization and met eight students interested in joining.

Though, he wished the fair had been held earlier in the school year, such as during the first week of classes.

Some student organizations thought the fair was not well advertised though.

Rebecca Posa, community service chair of Catholics on Campus, said she thought the fair helped her club a little, but it was not advertised enough to attract a lot of students.

Posa said next year she thinks the fair will be more organized.

The fair was "pretty slow" because it was not advertised as much as it could have been, said Sarah Lemanski, president of the Women's Ultimate Frisbee Club.

"I think during the first month of school there should be student organization fairs once a week to show students and get them interested," she said.

Young Democrats member Sam Creeger, said she worked the fair from noon to 3 p.m. and saw seven students

interested in attending Young Democrats' meetings.

"I think it should have been more organized to get more people involved," she said. "But even just one more member is a lot of help."

Students who attended the fair thought it was helpful in learning more about organizations on campus, though.

Sophomore political science major, Zach Cochran, attended the fair and said he was surprised how specific certain organizations are.

"A lot of these club's purposes match what I am trying to find here," he said.

Without events like this students wouldn't have their eyes opened to everything WVU has to offer, Cochran said.

Mercedes Lewis, a junior philosophy major, said she would not have found the clubs she was interested in if she did not attend the fair.

Although SOS and SGA partnered to host the fair, it was SGA's idea, Harrison said.

"SGA Governor Jason Bailey was very interested in getting the word out about the different types of WVU student organizations," she said. "He put together a committee for the fair, and it was his desire to inform students."