Want to discover your niche on campus? Here’s your guide to getting involved at UA.
ASUA
The Associated Students of the University of Arizona, is one of the UA’s student government organizations along with Graduate and Profesional Student Council. Serving undergraduate students, ASUA offers a variety of programs and organizations for students to become involved with, as well as hundreds of clubs and leadership positions.
ASUA’s goal is to be a resource for students to become engaged in their campus community.
“Getting involved in clubs and organizations and finding that place here on campus is so important, because that will create a better experience for you as a student,” said ASUA President, Michael Finnegan.
Finnegan said that with over 42,000 students on campus there are tons of opportunities for students to be welcomed with open arms to the student experience they’ve been looking for.
Cultural Centers
There are five cultural heritage centers on campus available and open for any and all students to visit and become involved with. The centers provide an outlet for students of different races and ethnicities to gather and have their own safe space.
These cultural centers strive to support and foster diversity within the UA, by increasing awareness of different issues and needs surrounding the diverse communities within the UA population.
The ASUA website details the purpose of each of the five centers as follows:
* African American Student Affairs facilitates a support system that helps students achieve academic excellence and an enriching black cultural experience.
* Asian Pacific American Student Affairs provides academic and personal support through program implementation, leadership opportunities and advocacy for APA student issues.
* Chicano/Hispanic Student Affairs & Resource Center offers innovative retention programs that encourage academic achievement, personal development and integration into the university academic community.
* Native American Student Affairs recruits and transitions American Indian/Alaska Native students into the university by providing academic, cultural and personal support.
* ASUA Pride Alliance, a resource center that offers a safe, supportive, social and academic environment tolesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students.
Clubs
At the UA there are over 500 student clubs and organizations, offering students a wide variety to pick from.
Whether you’re trying to promote sustainability, watch anime or host fun events, there’s a club for almost everything, making it easy to find your place at the UA.
Don’t worry, if you can’t find an existing club to join, you can always create your own. The ASUA governing body encourages students to take advantage of the club recognition and renewal period that starts Aug. 30 and ends Sept. 9.
There is a three-step process detailed on the ASUA website, which allows new clubs to be recognized and existing clubs to continue their activities for the upcoming school year.
Intramural Sports
Whether you played sports in high school or want to try something new, the UA offers students the opportunity to participate in intramural athletics.
From three-on-three basketball to indoor soccer, students of all levels can participate in recreational or competitive leagues.
The UA which has 20 different sports leagues throughout the year, according to the official UA intramural website, also offers the UA community five divisions to chose from: men’s, women’s, co-recreational, Greek and open.
Greek Life
There are 52 total fraternities and sororities at the UA. New and current students have a chance to find a fraternity or sorority that is just right for them by participating in Fall Rush coming up next month.
The Panhellenic Formal Recruitment starts Aug. 13- Aug. 21 and requires women to register before Aug.1.
Interfraternity Council Recruitment starts Aug. 15– Aug. 22 and also requires men register before Aug.1.
Ian Barrie, Delta Sigma Pi president, said joining a Greek program can help students find themselves.
“I think joining a fraternity or sorority is a great opportunity to find your place in such a large university,” Barrie said. “After joining Delta Sigma Pi, I expanded the network of people I knew, and made a lot of great friends that I otherwise wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to know.”
Volunteer
Want to make a difference and have an impact on the campus and in the Tucson community? ASUA’s VolunteerUA can help you out.
While many UA clubs are centered around community engagement and service, students can also find volunteer opportunities on and off campus on ASUA’s VolunteerUA website, arizonavolunteermatch.org. The website allows students to search and/or be matched with volunteer opportunities.
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