Students find new opportunities at Involvement Fair

Since 1994, the Student Involvement Fair has strived to get IU students engaged in campus activities.

This year, the fair was moved from the Indiana Memorial Union parking lot to Dunn Meadow.

“This year, we’re really excited, not only about the move but because of the incentive program we created,”  said Allie Medellin, Shaffer intern in the Student Life and Learning Office.

The students received passport cards when they arrived.
They then had the opportunity to get a sticker from a student organization, an IU department and a volunteer agency. If students completed this task, they were put into
a drawing.

Medellin said this is a way to push students beyond their comfort zone.

She said she hopes to reveal to students organizations that are not
well-known.

Some of the prize donors include IU Athletics, IU Recreational Sports, the IU Auditorium and IMU Catering.

The fair is a collaboration between the Student Life and Learning Office, Union Board, the Commission on Multicultural Understanding (COMU), Residential Programs and Services  and the Office of First Year Experience Programs.

WIUX provided music and a performance area let groups such as the Breakdance Club showcased their talents. Medellin said about 3,000 students attend the fair each year.

At least 210 student groups had a booth, along with approximately 40 volunteer organizations and 40 IU departments.

Senior Emily Deckard is a founding member of the Quidditch Club. It entered a contest through the International Quidditch Association and won, enabling the players to learn more about the game.

“We’re playing rugby with a broom between our legs,” Deckard said.
The club had its first meeting in February 2012. By the next week, 40 people had signed up. By the middle of the fair, there were 30 sign-ups.

Trevor Kirtman graduated in spring 2012 and is the new director of Baptist Collegiate Ministry, a campus Christian group open to anyone who wants to join.
At the group’s booth was a large wheel students could spin for prizes, such as granola bars and ramen noodles.

“It’s an attention-getter,” Kirtman said. “It’s always fun to work the wheel.”

He said the wheel is a “way of breaking from the religious group bias.” Kirtman said many people came to spin it.

“It’s been really great,” he said. “I feel bad sometimes that we cause a traffic jam.”

COMU was continuing its STAND T-shirt campaign begun at CultureFest.

“It’s a really great campaign we’re doing all throughout the year,” said Cameron Vakilian, graduate assistant. “We’ve had a lot of support.”

This campaign is an off-shoot of the national one, Characters Unite.

At COMU’s event, T-shirts are handed out. Vakilian said many people visited the booth.

“It’s been crazy,” he said. “At some point there has been, like, 20 people.”

The group organized a sit-in on stage, something that was supposed to happen during CultureFest but didn’t once the storm came through. About 200 people wore T-shirts and held up signs while sitting in the performance area.

Sophomore Bayley Brunck was working at the Eta Sigma Phi booth while watching the fair.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for all of the different clubs to recruit people,” she said.

“It was good as a freshman especially.”

This year, she went to booths such as the Harry Potter Society and the math club.

Freshman Blake Butler went to some of the community service tables.

“I’m sure I’ll get involved with at least one thing I see by the end of the day,” he said.