By snoadmin
Fliers, leaflets and various snacks were passed out Wednesday at the Student Organization Fair, part of Cal State Long Beach’s Week of Welcome. Bright decorations and sweet treats lured students to The Friendship Walk, where many of the campus’ clubs had set up booths.
Associated Students, Inc. organizes the fair every semester to give new students a chance to see what organizations exist on campus. According to Shelena McClinton, senator for the College of Liberal Arts, only about half of the school’s clubs are able to set up booths. McClinton believes that the fair helps out both clubs and new students looking to get involved on campus.
Some of the clubs’ members walked around recruiting students or drawing them to their tables. Others just sat back and let the interested students come to them.
Rameneh Kharrat, the secretary of the Persian Student Association, stood by her booth, welcoming anyone who walked by.
“It’s really awesome to have people outside the Persian culture stop by and see what we’re all about,” Kharrat said. “There’s so much negative exposure in the news about Iranian culture, it’s nice to get the chance to correct it.” According to Kharrat, several new members, both Persian and non-Persian, signed up today at the fair.
Danae Werthmann of the Environmental Science and Policy Club said her organization also had a lot of new sign-ups. Werthmann said the fair is a great way to interact with the student community and new students often bring fresh ideas to the club.
Some of the school’s sport clubs were also out at the fair. Students had the opportunity to sign up for Ultimate Frisbee, sailing, surfing and rowing. Adam Raty of the Ultimate Frisbee Club said they also had a lot of interested students and a lot of new sign-ups.
Elena Delgado of the Women’s Rowing Club said her club is looking for hard-working women.
“We’re always out in the spring and fall recruiting new girls,” Delgado said. According to Delgado, no experience is required to join the club.
Jewelia Cruz, a freshman business finance major, walked around the fair checking out all of the clubs and organizations. It was her first time at a club fair, even though she enrolled last fall. Cruz thought the people working the booths to be friendly and welcoming. Cruz also said she found a few clubs she was interested in joining. She is not currently involved in any clubs but she said she is “trying to get out there.”
Some of the”campus fraternities and sororities were also at the fair, passing out information for spring recruitment.
Students who missed the fair can get a list of all of CSULB’s clubs and organizations at csulb.edu/divisions/students2/sld/Student_Organizations/.
