By Patricia Barrios
There were 27 registered clubs with the office at the end of spring term, said Laura Pantano, assistant vice president of student engagement and success. Some of those clubs are now inactive while new organizations have registered, she added.
Student engagement and success expects to announce the official number of clubs registered with the university for the fall semester at the end of September.
About 50 to 100 students signed applications to join clubs during Wednesday’s Club Rush, Joseph Sanchez, recruiter for enrollment management, said. Sanchez and Dr. JoAnn Gonzalez, program coordinator and recruitment specialist, organized Club Rush. Student officers received notification early in the term informing them of the event.
“It was just a really good event all around for the clubs that participated,” Sanchez said.
Clubs give students a chance to network and be involved, Valentin Tristan Jr., computer information systems junior, said.
“You never know who you’re going to meet when you’re networking,” Valentin said, adding club membership helps students meet people in the business world.
Business management senior Robert Rivas agreed. “I’m just looking at different clubs. It will help you with networking in the real world.”
Business management senior Jarod Bellanger said the event provides an organized way for students to learn about clubs on campus. Bellanger was getting information about the American Marketing Association and Business Organization for Student Success, or BOSS.
Lorena Moreno, president of the American Marketing Association and international business management graduate student, said the AMA gives students the chance to practice business and marketing ideas by providing small and women-owned businesses with marketing plans.
“If they like our ideas, they use them,” Moreno said.
Zaira Rodriguez, president of the Student Government Association, said the event helps students meet members of the clubs and get information about the clubs to determine if they want to join.
“It puts a face to the organization,” Rodriquez said.
Sanchez said the student programming board is waiting for a final approval to serve drinks and hot dogs to students at Brooks Campus Tuesday’s Club Rush. He said there have been recent city-wide concerns of the use of charcoal grills because of dry conditions that could cause a fire.
For more information about clubs, call Pantano at 210.932.6285 or email her at lpantano@tamusa.tamus.edu.
