During Welcome Weekend, dean of students John Buck gave a presentation to incoming students. He encouraged them to join at least one organization on campus.
Webster University has over 50 active clubs on campus. One way these groups have historically gained members is by participating in the annual Webster University Involvement Fair.
According to dean of students John Buck, the Involvement Fair has been happening since before he was hired 21 years ago.
“If you meet people and they seem interesting, sign up,” Buck said.
Buck said there has been proof that students who are involved on campus tend to do better in their classes.
This year, the Involvement Fair hosted both an in-person and virtual version of the event. The first Fair was Wednesday, Sept. 1, and was in-person with masks.
There were some familiar faces attending the Fair, such as Student Government Association (SGA) and Webster University Cheerleaders.
There were also new groups at the fair. One new club was the Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP).
When walking around to different tables, students had the chance to meet club presidents and members.
One of the advantages to attending the Fair is that there is no pressure to sign up.
Derek DeMartino, the president of Webster University Conservatives, said,“It is all about trial and error. If you don’t like a club, don’t go back.”
There were a lot of great things about this Involvement Fair. However, there were also some struggles. While trying to enter the virtual fair, some students saw that there was a notice saying it was cancelled even though it wasn’t.
Both Buck and DeMartino said getting involved on campus doesn’t have to be stressful and can be fun.
During Welcome Weekend, transfer students and freshmen were shown a presentation by Buck. Buck gave the students five easy steps on how to be successful in their first year at Webster. Even though returning students were not at Welcome Weekend, these five steps apply to them just as much.
During his presentation, Buck said, “easy as five, four, three, two, one.” The numbers symbolized the five steps on how to be successful in a student’s year on campus.
- No. 5 is five events in the first 5 weeks. Students are encouraged to attend five of the many events held in the first weeks of school. The involvement fair just happens to be one of the events available. This year there was also a karaoke night and a Llama Petting Zoo.
- Next was No. 4. It is suggested that 4 hours of homework should be done every day. This helps to stretch homework out daily so students aren’t as stressed and can meet deadlines.
- No. 3 is to maintain a 3.0 grade point average. For scholarships, students need a 3.0. This not only encourages students to do well in school, but to also help students with a goal to start the year.
- No. 2 is having lunch with two new people. The first weeks of college are all about meeting people. A convenient thing for Webster students is that there are only about 2,500 students on the main campus.
- No. 1 is to join at least one club. Webster has an involvement fair so students can see the different options and have the opportunity to join at least one club. Buck and DeMartino said this is a great way to make friends and do something other than classes.
The 2021 Webster University Involvement Fair just goes to show that Webster isn’t just a school and buildings with classrooms, but a community. A community that cares for one another and welcomes students of all diversities of religion, gender identity, the color of their skin, and more.
Everyone is welcome to join every club. To find out more about these clubs, students can visit Involved.webster.edu/organizations. The website has information about current clubs and steps for how to start a club of your own.
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