Geena Levine ‘21
Photo Editor
Coming back to school this semester came with a lot of unknowns on how things would work in this new normal. Many students wondered how clubs and organizations would be able to run with social distancing and remote learning.
Alyssa Cyr, who is the Assistant Director of Student Involvement, provided us with insight and tips on how to make on-campus organizations run successfully this year.
The Beacon: How are clubs going to run this year?
“The majority of our organizations are able to operate as they normally would. Their events and programs may just look a little bit different. We are encouraging all student organizations to think creatively and outside the box,” Cyr said. If a group can’t have their signature event, we want to help them think differently about how it can still happen.”
The Beacon: Can clubs meet in person?
Cyr says that the school is encouraging students to meet virtually when it is possible. Although this is the schools preference, the school does understand that sometimes student organizations will need to meet in person to plan their events. The Hub is still open and students are allowed to meet in small groups there as long as they review the space policies before their meeting.
In order for students to do this successfully, the Office of Student Involvement is around to help book spaces and coordinate all event logistics. The school installed many tents around campus so students are able to put on events in a safe and socially distant way. The school is encouraging student organizations to take advantage of these spaces to come together safely for in-person events.
The Beacon: Do you have any suggestions for clubs and organizations that are looking to hold virtual events and need some ideas?
“A lot of our student organizations came up with some really great ideas when we went virtual in the Spring,” Cyr said. “Many used social media campaigns to interact with group members and the campus community. We found that passive virtual programming was more effective and successful. We hope to hold some workshops for our student organizations to cover topics such as how to engage with a virtual audience and how to effectively plan virtual events. Stay tuned!”
The Office of Student Involvement understands that this is a big change for everyone and is open to help students. They are located in The Hub and are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00pm, and are available to meet on Zoom as well.
