More than 100 student organizations participated in the Student Involvement Fair on Wednesday, Jan. 22, where students had the opportunity to connect with members of the Crochet Club, the Student Government Association, Club Volleyball, Club Pickleball, among many others, as they searched for an organization that would help nurture their passions and interests during their time at Stetson.

Alexandria Belk, assistant director of Student Organization Advising and Programming, described the fair as a place where students have the chance to discover, get involved and find their people.

“They should be able to really connect with the organizations that are interesting to them and maybe even discover interests and little hobbies that they didn’t even know they had,” she said. “There are so many things that they can do and just ways to get involved and connected. No one has to be alone or without doing the things that they enjoy while they work on getting their degree.” 

Belk also noted the significance of the fair for seniors Hatters.  

“Some seniors may be in a place where they realize it’s their last semester and they haven’t done some of the things they wanted to do in college,” she added. “And then, for other seniors, the fair offers an opportunity to pass the baton as they welcome new students into their clubs, embracing them and helping them feel like they belong.” 

Building Connections and Community 

One of the key highlights of the Student Involvement Fair is the opportunity it provides students to build connections and foster a sense of community. Roderick Stevenson, a senior majoring in Political Science with a minor in computer science, shared his perspective.

“For me personally, as a senior, it’s kind of a chance to pass the torch along and find people who are interested in the things that I’ve been interested in and the things that I’ve worked in,” he said. “I believe that’s also why the fair is important to the student population in general, because you never know until you come here what’s going to be going on campus or what you might want to get involved in.” 

Stevenson also emphasized the importance of the fair for students at different stages of their academic journey.

“If you’re a first- or second-year student, one of the major things to take out of this is kind of where your interests are going to lie,” he said. “If you’re a senior, it’s kind of to see what events you might be able to attend before you leave, make those lasting memories or maybe even put in some volunteer hours in your last few months here.” 

Spotlight on New Organizations 

The fair also introduced new organizations to the campus community. Senior Sean Moran, who is majoring in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology, is the founder and chief of the newly established student-led Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Team.

“We’re a brand-new organization on campus and we’re looking to train students in basic first aid skills,” he said. “That includes basic things like CPR all the way to how to stop a bleeding. We want to put the students in a situation where if you ever encounter a medical emergency, they know what to do and how to handle it. “

The club is looking forward to having a presence on campus and attending different events throughout the semester.

“We’re going to be doing those kinds of training with our students,” Moran said. “We’re going to be doing standby events on campus for big events like graduations and sporting events. We’re also going to have duty crews available on certain days, responding to medical calls on campus along with public safety.”

The new student-led EMS Team is open to all students, regardless of their major or background. Interested students can reach out to Moran via email at [email protected] or visit the team’s Instagram account @stetsonems. 

Intrigued by Different Organizations

Jealirah Vazquez, a first-year student majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Business Administration, found the fair as a gateway to get out of her comfort zone and start having new connections on campus.

“I found that I had hard times connecting with some of my peers,” she said. “I wanted to find more ways to get involved, especially with my community.”

Vazquez found several organizations intriguing, including Hatter Productions and PACT, but she was particularly interested in learning more about the Stetson Student Ambassadors.

“I actually was able to talk with the student ambassadors and they were saying that they had some open positions,” she said. “I thought that was good and interesting, because it gives me the opportunity to talk to the people who are incoming to Stetson and give them more information about why Stetson could be the better choice for them.” 

The Stetson Student Ambassadors play a crucial role in welcoming new students and helping them transition to university life. They are responsible for coordinating and staffing all admissions events at Stetson, meeting and greeting prospective students and their families during campus visits. The ambassadors share their unique experiences and perspectives, helping prospective students get a genuine feel of what life is at Stetson.

Greek Life at the Fair 

The Student Involvement Fair also provided a platform for Stetson’s Fraternity and Sorority Life on campus to present students with the diverse range of fraternities and sororities they can choose from when making the decision to go Greek.

The Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated was present, represented by alumni Abrea Do and Jessica Day, executive director for Residential Living and Learning, who also is faculty chair for the sorority.

“I hope the students got to learn more about our organization, what we do and take interest, and hopefully want to become a part of it or learn more about it,” Do said.  

Day emphasized the values and goals of Zeta Phi Beta.

“Our goal is to do service and scholarship at Stetson,” she said. “So, our focus, specifically, is to encourage students to be stronger academically, but then also have a presence and give back to this environment and the environment in DeLand.” 

Interested students can reach out to Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated through their Instagram, @stetsonzphib, to learn more or get involved. 

Looking Ahead 

As the Spring 2025 semester progresses, the organizations that participated in the Student Involvement Fair will continue to host events and activities, encouraging students to stay engaged. Whether it is through academic pursuits, cultural exploration or recreational activities, the fair has set the stage for a dynamic and enriching semester ahead. 

Go, Hatters!  

– Joseph Ortiz