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Student organizations at Syracuse University were able to meet new students in person at the annual involvement fair on Thursday.

More than 200 registered student organizations set up tables on the Quad, while students, including many first-year and sophomore students, were invited to walk around and experience what different clubs have to offer.

Last fall, the fair was virtual, following the lead of most orientation events for freshmen and transfer students as a result of the pandemic.

For these student organizations, Thursday was the first time in two years that they showcased their groups to the student body in person.

Trevor Kroells is one of the organizers of Citrus Racing, a formula society of automated engineers club at SU. Formula SAE challenges different groups of students to design and compete with small formula-style racing cars. 

At the fair, Citrus Racing displayed a model of their design — the metal frame of a formula car. This was crucial to the group’s recruiting process, he said.

“I really like showing what we can do,” Kroells said. “This stuff is cool, but it’s in the basement of Link (Hall), and people won’t find it unless we can actually bring it out.”

Citrus Racing meetings are secluded in one meeting area, meaning that a lot of students never hear about what they do or see what they can create, Kroells said. The in-person fair was helpful in showing off the club’s work to the wider campus community, he said.

Morgan Markowitz, a junior at SU, attended the involvement fair as a representative for CHAARG, a health and fitness society. Markowitz and other members represented CHAARG at the virtual fair last year, but Markowitz said the in-person format makes it far easier for her to do her job as an ambassador for the club.

“It’s easier to walk up to someone versus having to find the organization’s Instagram, having to find a zoom call, having to get all these links,” Markowitz said. “You can just come grab a piece of paper or scan a QR code to get information … It really helps with recruitment and getting new members.”

For some organizations, talking to potential new members is more than just a helpful way to recruit.

Zamboni Revolution is a comedy group at SU that performs improvisational comedy several times a semester. Zach Ginkel recalled his first involvement fair, a time for him to find a community that reflected his own interests.

“I remember when I first walked up (to Zamboni Revolution’s table). The guys were just so funny,” Ginkel said. “I just thought, ‘This is what I want to do.’”

Because of the pandemic, clubs have had a difficult time discovering personalities that match and click, Ginkel said. For new freshmen on campus, such a dynamic can be difficult to find. 

For a comedy club like Zamboni Revolution, the personalities of the members have to match up perfectly, Ginkel said. The element of face-to-face interaction that an in-person event offers is valuable to the mission of the club, he said.

“For many other clubs, online might not be a big deal because people know what they’re selling,” Ginkel said. “We’re a comedy group. We can now get a good sense — when people come up and sign up — of their personality … It’s just so subjective for what we’re looking for.”

De’Lisia Adorno attended the fair with her peer mentor and appreciated the different opportunities her new school has to offer, something she said she wouldn’t have been able to do in a virtual format.

“It’s easier to see clubs in person rather than virtually, because it catches your eye,” Adorno said. “When you’re online, you kind of just see it as it is. But meeting someone in person lets you get their personality.”

Published on September 12, 2021 at 10:22 pm

Contact Richard: rcperrin@syr.edu | @richardperrins2