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Helping Students Find 'Small Communities' on a Large Campus

By Andy Elder, Student Affairs Writer

For some students, finding people to meet or things to do at Penn State's University Park campus is easy. But for others, wading through more than 40,000 students on the sprawling campus can make them feel like a small fish in a very large pond.

For that latter group of students, Assistant Director of Student Activities Deb Dworsky can provide a lifeline - the Student Involvement Fair.

Held twice during fall semester and once during spring semester, the Student Involvement Fair gives the university's hundreds of student groups and organizations a chance to introduce themselves to the student population.

"Our office sponsors this event to familiarize students with the many student organizations that are available for students to join," Dworsky said. "Recognized student organizations have a table in which they display information about their group, hand out information, and talk to students."

For more than 10 years, upwards of 1,000 students a day attend the Student Involvement Fair to explore between 200 and 300 groups and organizations. Involvement in those groups and organizations provides students a chance to reduce the scale of the University Park campus.

"With a campus the size of ours, it is so important for students to feel connected to the university, and student organizations provide 'small communities' to help with that connection," Dworsky said.

"Student organizations also provide a wonderful way for students to develop and practice leadership, communication and organizational skills that they might not otherwise receive in a classroom setting. We further the mission of Student Affairs by providing an opportunity to enhance their collegiate experience and complement what they are learning in the classroom."

Far from being just hundreds of students meandering through a maze of tables and displays, the Student Involvement Fair has involved into fun-filled happening.

"In the past few years, we've really tried to make the event more fun. In the fall, we had Beaver 103.1 radio station. And at our most recent fair, we had The Lion 90.7 (the student radio station) broadcasting and providing music. They also interviewed organizations and attendees," Dworsky said.

"In the fall, we had a 'showcase' where student organizations could sign up to do a 15-minute performance. We had groups performing cultural dances, singing, a table tennis demonstration and more. It was a great way to promote groups in another way."

Also, some groups devise unique ways to entice students to visit their tables by providing such things as s'mores, hot chocolate, and candy. Dworsky said a majority of students surveyed enjoy the fair and acknowledge it as a good way to discern information about campus life beyond the desks and dorms.

And the Student Involvement Affair promises to get better.

"My ultimate goal would be for this event to take place on the HUB Lawn and have as many groups as possible there (with space limitations, we can't accommodate everyone), and really turn it into a festival-type event, one that students won't want to miss," Dworsky said.

Still, for the thousands of students who have capitalized on the experience, there are others who have yet to take part in the Student Involvement Fair or the hundreds of campus groups and organizations.

"Parents and family members play a huge role in encouraging students to get involved on campus. They can encourage their student to attend the fair, to gather information and learn about the many opportunities available. Students can get involved in a variety of organizations ranging from academic to recreational to special interest. Every type of group has an opportunity to provide something unique," Dworsky said.

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