WVU Tech’s student organizations have a busy year ahead, and new groups are adding even more diversity to the WVU Tech student experience.
In 2014-2015, a number of new organizations were founded that have already become popular with students. The Association for Women Engineers, Scientists, Or Mathematicians Empowerment (AWESOME) is dedicated to supporting women studying and working in STEM fields. The new Golden Bear E-Sports Club has hosted on-campus gaming sessions and participated in a national collegiate Heroes of the Storm tournament last spring.
Golden Bear Outdoor Expeditions (GBOE), another club that launched last year, organizes events covering everything from hiking and zip-lining to caving, ice-skating and fishing. The Tech Media Crew allows students to cover on-campus events on social media and YouTube while the new Tech Grapplers group gathers each week to learn and practice various martial arts disciplines.
“The Student Government Association and the WVU Tech Division of Student Life work together to maintain a community where students have the support and guidance they need to create the student organizations they want to see on campus,” said Emily Sands, Associate Dean of Students. “These groups are conceived, founded and run entirely by students, so they’re designed from the start to meet the needs and interests of the student body.”
This year, students are looking to keep up the momentum set last year. In the first week of the semester, two new clubs have already been formed, including the Black Student Union and the Brazilian Community Organization (BCO).
The Black Student Union is open to all WVU Tech students and will focus on identifying and taking action on issues relevant to black students. The organization will participate in social and cultural programming that relates to the past, present, and future aspirations of black people, and the group intends to participate in Project Linus, community service events and cultural health awareness initiatives.
The Brazilian Community Organization is open to any student interested in learning about Brazilian culture and history. The group will host a number of events throughout the year, including community service activities and social gatherings designed to expose members to Brazilian cuisine, culture and language.
Student groups have a wealth of on and off-campus activities planned for 2015-2016, and on Wednesday, August 26, student organizations were on hand for the 2015 Student Involvement Fair to share information about their organizations. These organizations are still accepting members throughout the academic year. Interested students are encouraged to visit the Student Life website to find out more.