At Culver-Stockton College, student organizations make a huge part of campus life. With 354 students actively participating in various clubs and organizations, it’s clear that involvement outside the classroom is what brings the culver community together. However, through my experience  student engagement gives  both opportunities and challenges, making it more important than ever for students to step up and make their own college experience.

One of the most important organizations is the Student Government Association(SGA). While it has played a major role in student advocacy and campus improvements, a recent attempt to establish a student council fell apart due to a lack of organization. This shows a harsh reality student organizations are only as strong as the students who commit to them,  a strong leadership group needs to be established for these groups to succeed. 

Thankfully, the spring semester has seen an increase in student organizations with a rise in new member recruitment. This shows an increase in interest in student groups, but the question I have is how do these organizations maintain interest throughout the whole year? Many clubs struggle to recruit and retain members, battling with students’ busy lives, academic work, and social lives. The college has made efforts towards supporting these groups, yet real change needs to come from within the organizations themselves. Student organizations need individuals who want to leave a lasting legacy in their groups, something that will last longer than their college life.

The biggest challenges for involvement is balancing athletics with extracurricular activities. With 70% of the campus being a student being involved in sports, scheduling conflicts arise, making it difficult for student-athletes to fully engage in other organizations. The college has made efforts to accommodate athletes by scheduling fewer events during peak hours, but it is ultimately up to students to make time for the activities they care about.

Student life at Culver-Stockton is what students make of it. Organizations only succeed  when students take ownership and  step into leadership roles. If students want a vibrant, engaging college environment, they must be the driving force behind it. After all, a campus without student involvement is just a collection of buildings students bring to life.