The spring edition of Get on Board Day will be held today in the Ferguson Center Ballroom from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., helping students to find their niche for involvement.
The event, sponsored by the Student Organization Resource Center for Extracurricular, will feature around 130 organizations, said Alex Karagas, the coordinator of student involvement and leadership with the SOURCE.
Compared to the fall Get on Board Day, there will be fewer organizations, and no vendors. However, there will still be free food, giveaways and chances to win door prizes throughout the day.
A spring version of Get on Board Day is important, Karagas said, because new clubs are constantly forming throughout the year.
Get on Board Day will present organizations students can get involved with, including religious, academic, special interest, volunteering and even gaming groups. Each organization will be giving out information and some free prizes, and will allow students to provide contact information to be on mailing lists.
“The tables will give you a chance to talk one-on-one with those who are active in the organization,” Karagas said. “This will give you a realistic view of what they are like and what they do.”
Karagas said becoming involved isn’t just about filling your free time. Showing that you were involved on campus will help strengthen your resume and eventually aid you in getting a job.
The Office of Student Employment and the Career Center will both have a table in the Ferguson Ballroom today.
The WVUA-FM 90.7 table at the Ferguson Center, station manager Claire Brucker said, will supply the music for Get on Board Day. She invited all students interested in volunteering or becoming a DJ for the station to stop by the table.
“We would love to hear people’s feedback on specialty shows,” Brucker said. “If anyone has any questions, would like to request a song on air, or would like to get involved, they should stop by.”
The UA Exercise Physiology Club was founded last year, and benefited from fall’s Get on Board Day. President and founder Robert Herron said more than 200 students signed up at the club’s table, and about 40 of them became active members.
Herron said his goal today is to recruit more members from different backgrounds, including nursing, pre-med and pre-physical therapy.
“It’s a great, free event that really helped to get our numbers up,” Herron said. “Forty members is not bad for a new club. We’re going to give out some information, let people know our mission statement, get the word out, and tell people what we’ve already done with the club. We’ll also answer any general health and exercise questions.”
Callie Rhodes, a freshman majoring in history, said her venture into fall’s Get on Board Day was unsuccessful. She sought out the Alabama Academic Quizbowl Team’s table because she was on her quiz bowl team in high school but didn’t take the time to make any more organization discoveries.
“This year I plan to spend a little bit more time looking and approaching tables and actively trying to find groups,” Rhodes said. “It’s really the only chance to even hear about some groups on campus, let alone have the chance to join them. Plus, free stuff is always fun.”
Today, she said she plans to make a conscious effort to take advantage of the opportunity.
“Get on Board Day is a great way to preview a lot of organizations,” Karagas said. “Names can be deceiving — dig a little bit deeper into the purposes of the organizations”
