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Join a Student Group

Joining a student group is more than just an opportunity to get involved, it’s also a great way to try something new, such as learning about a different culture, being part of a fraternity or sorority, finding a new hobby, or simply connecting with other students. When you’re on campus, keep your eyes out for flyers or sandwich boards advertising group meetings or excursions. You never know what could perk your interest!

What It Is

Getting involved in a student group can enhance your college experience, particularly during your first year on campus. Obviously, joining a PSU group allows you to get to know other students as well as the university itself, but there are also some not-so-obvious benefits. Research has shown that students who feel supported and connected to campus are more likely to stay in college and finish their degrees. Joining a student group can be a great way to relieve the stress of classes and learn more about the resources available on the PSU campus. Once you make the choice to get involved, a lot more support becomes available to you.

 How It Works 

• Build a connection to the PSU campus community. 

• Meet students who share similar interests.

• Learn more about campus resources.

• Learn strategies for college success from students who already know how PSU works.

Where to Find Them

You can learn more about student groups by going online to the Student Activities and Leadership Programs (SALP) salp.pdx.edu. You can join a student group through that website, or you can get the same information by going to the SALP office, which is located in the Smith Memorial Student Union (SMSU) at 1825 SW Broadway. If you’d like some help finding out which student groups would be best for you, make an appointment with a student group advisor by calling SALP at (503) 725-4454.

 

Strategies for Success 

Build a Connection to the PSU Campus Community 

As a new-to-PSU student, one of first things you should try to do is to make some connections so you feel that you really are part of what’s happening on campus. A great way to meet people and learn about the range of student groups is to attend Party in the Park. This event takes place on PSU park blocks during the first week of fall term. Many student groups will have tables set up with information about the focus of the group and what they’re doing for the rest of the year. The event—created with you in mind—provides an opportunity for new students like yourself to talk with students who are already involved in these groups. You can ask questions and sign up for an upcoming event, or you might decide to join the group on the spot. Party in the Park is a good time to collect all the information you can about any student group that may interest you. You may come home with stacks of papers about lots student groups and only decide to join one or two. That’s okay—the priority is to take advantage of this opportunity to get involved. Even if you don’t join any groups right away, you’ll likely meet other new students in the process.

Meet Students Who Share Similar Interests 

You could join a student group that will help you with the skills related to your classes, and at the same time get to know people and have some fun. If you’re interested in environmental science, it might make sense for you to join the environmental club. If you’re a marketing major, the American Society of Marketing at PSU might be the way to go. The idea here is to network with students who may end up working in the same field as you. Many clubs that are formed based upon your academic major actually provide student members with opportunities to meet professionals in the field. In some cases, the group can help you get an internship so that you can learn more about what it's like to actually work in your chosen area. But you shouldn’t necessarily limit the groups you choose to join based solely on the group’s relationship to your major. 

Learn More about Campus Resources 

Joining a student group can help you learn more about what resources are available on campus. If you check out the outdoor program, you’ll find out about the climbing center that’s located on campus as well as how to rent camping and outdoor equipment at super-reasonable rates. Did you know PSU has its own FM radio station or that there’s a student group that organizes a series of free films for PSU students at the 5th Avenue Cinema? Talk to the folks from KSPU and the Film Committee to find out more about these resources. There are also cultural groups that can provide a connection to other students who share your same background. These same groups can connect you to information about scholarships and related community groups. Many student groups have ListServs that keep their members and other students informed of upcoming events, group meetings, workshops, and other social activities. This is a good way to get in the loop and learn about the different resources a specific student group may be able to provide. 

Learn Strategies for College Success from Students Who Know How PSU Works 

We keep emphasizing how much a new-to-PSU student can learn from the folks who are already successfully navigating PSU. Club officers are one great source for this kind of information. Most of the time, the top officers in a club are students who have been at PSU several years. These folks can serve as a resource for figuring out what you need to do to succeed at the university. Think of joining a student group as a two-way street where both you and the group benefit. Student clubs need to recruit new members, so as a new member, you’re important to them. And as a new-to-PSU student, you will really benefit from talking with already successful students about the kinds of strategies they’ve used to succeed in their classes and to make university life more manageable. 

Getting involved in student groups is one way to make connections to other students and to feel like you’re part of the campus community at PSU. Once you’ve settled into a routine here at PSU, you might consider whether you’d be interested in serving as officer in one of the groups. Becoming the treasurer for the Outdoor Club may not be that much work and, in the end, you’ll get to know more people and gain experience creating budgets and handling money, which is great for your resume. 

Join a student group. You’ll be glad that you did.

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