By Isabella Sayger
Special to In Motion
Many students chose Daytona State College for its low-cost tuition and smaller classroom size. But what can DSC offer outside the classroom?
Daytona State College has 50 student clubs and organizations that reach just about every student. From feminists to lawyers, gamers to comedians, DSC provides a niche for all. There are clubs that work with nursing students, business majors, future politicians, educators. You name it, Daytona State has it. To find out what clubs there already are and for general answers to club-specific questions, visit daytonastate.edu , go to Student Life, then Co-Curricular Activities, then peruse the long list of Clubs and Organizations.
For those who enjoy volunteering or are interested in helping their community. According to the Web page, most clubs do volunteer for various community service projects. Last year, DSC clubs logged more than 2,000 hours of community service, from food and clothing drives to beach cleanups and programs for children and people with disabilities.
Daytona State provides students the opportunity to be a part of something, all while giving back to the community. But what’s good for the campus and community at large, helps students as well. When transferring to a university, being able to show participation in a club, especially the service-oriented aspects of that membership, often gives the candidate a leg-up in being accepted into an institution.
A broad spectrum of choices are available- all students have to do is look.
Aside from volunteer-based organizations, there are academic clubs as well. Some clubs are connected to the curriculum such as the Student Paralegal Association, while others are of special interest, such as the Table Top Gaming Club or Global Friends.
But say there isn’t a club that offers what some students want and they are seriously considering forming their own group. The first step is contacting the Assistant Dean of Co-Curricular Activities, Bruce Cook, to help get the club started. He advises that “The student find 10 other students who want to form a new club and a faculty member who wants to serve as the club adviser. When the student returns with that information, we help them take the next steps, which include drafting a club constitution, officer list, etc.”
Cook knows this from first-hand experience, since he founded the award-winning In Motion campus newspaper more than 20 years ago.
To ensure a club’s longevity, “Each year in the fall all currently recognized clubs must submit paperwork to continue as a recognized club. This includes an updated officers list, constitution and adviser agreement.”
A fresh new idea, with students and faculty backing it up, and the co-curricular department will help guide members the rest of the way. It is important to note that, “There is no requirement that a student who wants to form a club be at any particular stage in his/her program of study,” Cooks says.
From freshman to seniors, everyone has the opportunity to build a club from the ground up.
With more than 50 clubs and organizations to choose from, it’s easy for students to find what they’re looking for. And if a new club needs to be formed, it’s quite simple to get it started thanks to the help of Bruce Cook and the rest of the co-curricular department.
“I encourages all students to get involved in college life for their enjoyment and personal enrichment. There are many valuable job skills to be learned outside of the classroom. Take advantage of it,” he said.