Madison Shumway
Life Editor
Students milled around the quad last Wednesday, hot dogs in hand as they browsed the many clubs and services the university has to offer.
Representatives of various groups around campus, from religious organizations to fraternities to academic departments, manned booths at the annual Involvement Fair with the goal of increasing student participation in university activities.
Free food and music drew attendees to the quad, where they could then explore the dozens of tables boasting candy, stickers and even a cardboard cutout of Pope Francis. Informational pamphlets and sign-up sheets papered each table.
Represented at the fair were on-campus services Benny’s Pantry, Craft Shop and Outdoor Adventure Center.
ISU Craft Shop offers a workspace for hands-on projects and experts to give guidance along the way. The shop offers classes in pottery, stained glass, book binding and more.
The shop’s workspaces include a clay studio and wood shop, as well as areas for crafts like paper cutting, sewing and bicycle repair. The Craft Shop, located in the SUB, is open Monday through Saturday, and entry on Tuesdays is free with a Bengal ID.
Benny’s Pantry stocks non-perishable food items for use by students in need. Students can stop by with a valid Bengal ID on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to receive food and personal care items based on household size.
“Whenever [students] need us, they can come in, no questions asked,” said Bengal Pantry representative Allison Scherer of the service. “That’s what we’re here for: to help them out.”
The Outdoor Adventure Center organizes student outings and provides reasonably-priced equipment rentals. Students interested in a snowy yurt excursion or whitewater rafting trip can visit the SUB on weekdays.
Also manning tables at the involvement fair were representatives from student-led organizations ranging from Irish Club to debate to Math/Computer Science Club to the Shooting Sports Association. Groups for belly dancers, League of Legends players, mechanical engineers and poets alike represented a diverse set of interests at a diversifying campus.
Diversity was the focus of one fledgling club advertising itself at the fair. The Women of Color Association emphasized an inclusive atmosphere that seeks to empower all women with volunteer work, friendship and events like tea parties and fundraiser dinners.
“We want to empower women to be leaders,” said Kiki Peaples, organizing director. “We want them to believe they are beautiful, to believe they can conquer the world.”
Another organization with altruistic aims was the Genesis Project, a CDC-funded HIV prevention and education program. At the fair, a representative handed out the pamphlets and buttons typical of other booths, as well as condoms and lube.
The group provides sexual health resources and a community for gay, bisexual and questioning men from ages 18-35. Its headquarters lie in the Student Health Center.
Adjacent to the Genesis Project’s table were several religious student groups. Crossroads Christian Fellowship, Bengal Catholics, LDS Institute, Orthodox Christian Fellowship and Wesley House all shared their messages with interested students at the fair.
Many of the religious student organizations provide services like free or inexpensive food, transportation to meetings or simply places to join with others. These services further the goal of providing an open environment for interested students, said Kay Flowers, a representative from the Methodist Church-sponsored Wesley House.
“The idea is, for all of these groups, is to have a welcoming atmosphere and a place where questions can be asked,” she said.
