By Jackson Conner, Gaylord Class of 2023
21 Student Organizations Participate in Hopes of Drawing in New Students
To close out the month of August, Gaylord College hosted their twice-annual Involvement Fair to welcome in the newest cohort of students and highlight many of the Gaylord-specific clubs, organizations and practicums.
Drawn out over two days by the allure of Papa John’s and Raising Canes, students had the opportunity to visit with leaders of participating organizations about their impact on the college, the connections and skills they can offer and most importantly, how to get involved themselves.
While Gaylord is happy to welcome in a class of 132 freshmen this fall, the Involvement Fair lends itself as an opportunity not only for freshmen, but for students of all classifications to find their home within Gaylord College.
According to Jodie Bellomy, Senior Associate Advisor for Gaylord College, the event provided networking opportunities for hundreds of Gaylord students.
“We had an estimated 230-240 students from freshmen to seniors come through to check out the clubs and enjoy the food,” Bellomy said. “This semester's Involvement Fair was very successful! Everyone from students to faculty to staff seemed to enjoy meeting and chatting with each other.”
With numerous organizations participating in the event, students say that this is one of the best ways to find new ways to get involved. Nathan Pooler, a freshman at Gaylord, says, “It was very beneficial to learn about study abroad and the programs that we have that I am interested in joining this next year.”
Ed Kelley, Gaylord College Dean
Aria Patel, PRSSA Digital Director and District Ambassador, says that this type of event is crucial to the longevity of their respective programs and that the involvement fair is one of the best ways to bring in progressive new ideas all while expanding their membership base.
“We get to meet so many incredible students and encourage them to participate and become members of various organizations,'' Patel said. “For PRSSA, these students get to join committees and share their ideas to add more to our organization which helps foster change and constant learning for everyone from freshman to seniors.”
The Gaylord Family
If you are in the building long enough, you will undoubtedly hear the words “Gaylord Family” thrown around by students, faculty and staff.
Ed Kelley, Dean of Gaylord College, says that events like this are the embodiment of the Gaylord Family and how the college consciously creates an environment conducive to building a tight-knit community.
“The involvement fair has always been a great way to kick off the fall semester, and it certainly rang true again this year,'' said Kelley. “All Gaylord students, but particularly freshmen and transfers, can see the many opportunities offered in the college, in an environment that we hope gives everyone a sense of a family culture."
If you missed this most recent involvement fair, fear not. Gaylord has made it easy for students to submit their information to participating clubs and organizations. In addition to this, Gaylord will be hosting another involvement fair in January of 2023 – more details to come.
If you have any questions about how to get involved, feel free to stop by the Student Services office or the Dean’s suite for more information.
Thank you to those that were able to participate this time around. We look forward to seeing everyone in the building this semester!
