When Computer Data Science major Piper Chapman realized there weren’t any clubs on campus for students in her field, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
“I realized there were no clubs other than Esports for that, so I wanted to get something going for people like me that don’t want to be involved in Esports, but they want something to do on campus,” Chapman said.
Chapman was a Graphic Design major before realizing it leaned more into art than she would’ve liked. After switching her major to Computer Data Science last semester, Chapman quickly noticed the lack of opportunities for students interested in technology outside of gaming. That realization sparked her idea to found the Technology Club, a new organization designed to bring together students passionate about computing and technology in general.
Building Opportunities Beyond the Classroom
With the assistance of club advisor Dr. Liesen, the Technology Club plans to participate in local outreach events such as Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) Days with Canton schools, including the Science Fair. These events will give members opportunities to work with children and gain real-world experience connecting technology to community engagement.
“It can bring up a lot of job opportunities that people might not have thought about,” Chapman explained.
She also hopes to encourage members to pursue Google career certificates, which Dr. Liesen helped introduce to the program. These certificates can be used to build your resume and can bring in more job opportunities, Chapman elaborated. “We’ll be bringing those up a lot in meetings,” she added.
Finding Leadership and Purpose
As the club’s founding president, Chapman says the most rewarding part has been realizing she can make a difference.
“Even if you don’t think that you make a difference, or even if you’re not involved in anything, you can be,” she said. “It’s about finding the right interest groups and the right people to be involved with.”
Her leadership responsibilities, from organizing meetings and sending emails to coordinating with advisors and the student government, have also helped her grow. “It’s made me a lot more organized,” Chapman said.
The Technology Club’s leadership team currently includes Robert Randall as Vice President, Kaylee Warning as Secretary, Cikeng Lee as Treasurer, and Andrew Vonfeldt as Social Media Manager. As a junior with limited time left on campus, as she will be graduating in the Fall 2026 Semester, she wants to ensure the club continues after she graduates. “I’m hoping there will be someone else ready to take over even when I’m gone,” she said.
A Vision for the Future
Chapman’s long-term goal is to host at least one major event per semester. Ultimately, Chapman believes the club’s biggest impact will be creating another avenue for students to connect and express their interests.
“Just bringing another interest group to campus will make the biggest difference,” she said. “Within Technology Club, it’s niche enough that we’ll be able to hold events people might not have thought about before.”
She also hopes the club will help raise awareness about the Computer Data Science major itself. “Not a lot of people even know it’s a major,” Chapman said. “In my situation, if there were a club where people spoke out about the major and what it offered, it would’ve pulled me in a lot more. I’m hoping to do something like that for people who are unsure about what they want to do and where they fit in.”
Advice for Other Student Leaders
Chapman encourages other students interested in starting their own clubs to pursue their passions.
“Being interested in whatever club you’re starting is important,” she said. She continues, claiming that if you do something you’re not passionate about, it’ll be hard to stick with.
She also recommends staying organized and communicative, especially when working with advisors. “Having a good relationship with your advisor is key,” she noted.
For Chapman, the process of starting the Technology Club was simpler than she expected. “I brought up the idea at the end of last semester, filled out the constitution over the summer, and submitted everything,” she explained. “Culver actually makes it relatively easy to get a club started.”
Her final piece of advice: don’t wait for someone else to make things happen.
“If you’re interested in something and want it to be on campus, and it’s not, just go out and make it happen.”
