Pacific Index

Pacific’s beginning of the year club fair gets students connected to their academics and interests 

   Pacific University’s quad was alive with students as they swarmed the club fair last Friday evening. Everything from chemistry to Pokemon was present for students to join, displaying just what a variety of clubs is available on campus. Each offering something unique, they give students the opportunity to get connected with their peers and take a break from the monotony of classes and homework. 

   In the realm of academic clubs, STEM has a strong presence with the chemistry and physics clubs. Though these clubs may give notions of complicated science fields only students studying them can participate in, each is putting on a variety of events this semester which all students can attend. PR manager for the chemistry club Leo Bala listed events such as Mole Day celebration on October 23 complete with “chips and guacamole,” a chemistry shirt exchange in December, and pumpkin carving “and maybe pumpkin exploding” in October. For students more interested in the science side of chemistry and physics, they will be doing a trivia event together at the chemistry club’s first meeting. 

   Aside from academic clubs, there are many opportunities for students to explore their interests. For instance, the boardgame club meets once a week on Fridays from 6 to 8 pm to simply enjoy a shared pastime. They partake in everything from Catan to Ticket to Ride and Pandemic. 

   Students more interested in a specific game (one with characters like Pikachu) may be more drawn to the Pokemon club, a recent addition to Pacific. However, students shouldn’t be daunted by ideas of intense players. According to president Brodie Harris, “our big thing is making it inclusive and keeping it free to play. The whole thing is that we’re supposed to be a welcoming community for anyone who’s a Pokemon fan, so if you don’t know how to play the card game or how to play any games; we can introduce them to you.” The club invites any students interested in Pokemon to stop by one of their meetings or community days, one of which was held recently to play Pokemon Go together. 

   Another club which welcomes all skill levels is the music club. Not only a space for developed musicians, president Justin Vineyard says “It’s meant to be an access into the music world for non-music majors, so we do a lot of things that are easily accessible for non-musicians, and we have opportunities to learn instruments as well.” In addition to working together and giving feedback on each other’s music, the club takes students to a range of events music lovers are sure to love. From seeing The Outsiders musical and the Oregon Symphony to hosting a Broadway Night, this club provides a low pressure environment to simply enjoy music. 

   Being outdoors more your speed? Check out the Students for Environmental Activism and the Alpine skiing and snowboarding club. SEA president Emma Seres says this year the club is focused on events over meetings, such as a cleanup of Forest Grove after the upcoming Corn Roast, a tree planting in October, and their yearly Earth Day 5k. “We’re really trying to get engagement this year and have people be excited to be outside,” Seres says. 

   Another outdoor-oriented club is newly created Alpine skiing and snowboarding club. Founder Jet Cowee says he hopes to get students excited to be outdoors. “We take all levels,” he says. “There’s no prior experience required.” This semester will focus on prep like tuning skis and snowboards, watching documentaries on the sport, and potential conversations with guest speakers in the field. Then from late January through March students will head up to Mt Hood. 

   Cultural clubs like Black Student Union provide spaces for students to connect over a shared background. “Even though the name says Black Student Union,” says BSU president José Angel Salas Farías there is no limit on who can join. “We are trying to cultivate a community that is welcoming to anyone who just needs a space to vent or just needs a space to hang out, and BSU is really fun,” Farías explains enthusiastically. BSU has demonstrated this attitude through their wide-reaching events like Mardi Gras and their end of the year barbecue, which numerous students outside of the organization attend.