Thursday, August 14, 2014

Getting Involved, the Reynolds Way!



Reynolds Community College, like most any college or university, has a student life. While it may not be as expansive as that of a four-year college or university, the quality of the student life here at Reynolds competes with that at any college or university - active, engaging, and fun…very fun! There are many things a Reynolds student can do to be involved on and off campus.

One of the most common ways is to get involved is through clubs. Reynolds has over 25 different clubs, and welcomes ideas for more. There are clubs for spiritual beliefs, hobbies/interests, advocacy, careers, academic pursuits, honorary, and more! Some examples of current clubs include: The GSA Club for an LGBT presence and community; The Muslim Student Organization for all those whom share the Muslim faith or share an interest in it; The H.E.A.R.T Service for community engagement, volunteer work, civic engagement, and active service; Phi Theta Kappa, a 2-year college honorary society for students with exemplary academic achievements; CACEE for those interested or pursuing careers in culinary, pastry, or hospitality fields; and the Anime Club for those whom share an interest in Japanese animation. If a student finds that an existing club does not fulfill their interests, then they can contact the Office of Student Life to suggest a new club that suits such interests.

Besides clubs there are special leadership programs students can be involved in. One of these is JSR LEAD, which is jointly run by First Year Initiatives and the Office of Student Life. The program starts in the fall semester, where a student applies and interviews for the program; expressing their interest and motivation for such an experience. JSR LEAD continues from the fall into the spring semester where selected students participate in leadership and teamwork activities, assessments to get to know themselves better (such as personality tests), and a leadership course. It is an amazing experience that builds leaders.

Another leadership program Reynolds hosts is the Student Ambassador program, which is a paid position. Students apply and interview just as they do for the JSR LEAD program, and those selected undergo training, work SOAR orientation sessions, represent the college at events, and staff greeter tables at the start of every semester.

Finally, for those students whom are interested in government, leadership, or politics in general there is Student Senate. A student must apply and interview to participate.  Those selected serve as student leaders that represents their peers to college officials. They conduct surveys, investigate student issues, and address those issues with college officials. Reynolds’ Student Senate members have been responsible for many student-related changes on campus, for which many of their peers are grateful.

In conclusion, there is a key concept I want all Reynolds students especially to keep in mind. All these activities at Reynolds are like treasures in a box. If you want to be involved, then reach out and open the box, and those treasures will be revealed to you. Although being successful in academics always comes first, choosing to get involved in student life activities will enrich your college experience and open many doors! From my own personal experience I can say that there are an abundance of exciting, engaging, and fun student life opportunities waiting for you. Why not get involved the Reynolds Way?


Reynolds student Dylan Chaplin - Dylan is serving as a PR Assistant this summer as well as a Student Ambassador in the fall. He also served as the Vice-President of The H.E.A.R.T Service, which is a community service and civic engagement club designed to create connections between Reynolds and its surrounding communities. During his first two semesters at Reynolds he successfully completed the college's Leadership Program, JSR LEAD.  In his spare time he likes to blog.