Academic organizations and their value at SWOSU
Wix / The Southwestern Archive
Academic organizations can have a lot of different advantages. One of them: It can help a student understand the subject better.
November 1, 2019
How can I develop a better understanding of a subject? How can I expand my knowledge and experience outside the class room? How can I engage in a subject I am interested in? One of the answers: academic clubs. They give students the chance to participate in campus life, to better their skills, to get to know new people, and to network.
According to Oliver Willis, Coordinator of Student Activities, there are between 40 and 50 academic organizations on the SWOSU campus. They cover a variety of subjects, from Political Science and Pre-Law over Chemistry and Pre-Medical to Spanish and Psychology. Participating in an academic club “gives students an outlet to be involved,” says Oliver Willis.
Moreover, it is a very good opportunity for everyone to establish a new and much closer relationship toward the subject outside the class room, which also can lead to better grades. The Computer Club, for instance, helped build together computers. Last semester, the English Conversation Club helped 40 international students gain more proficiency in the English language by discussing the English language as a whole and hot topics such as global warming.
Also, academic clubs can help get to know the subject better in order to make a decision about the further academic and career path. The Pre-Law Student Association, for example, is designed to prepare students who are interested in going to law school. It organizes law school tours and meetings to equip prospective law students with “all information they need,” Raygan Chain, faculty sponsor of the Pre-Law Student Association, says. Other features include mock trials and the discussion of recent cases. Furthermore, guest speakers are invited; even the visit of a trial was planned (unfortunately, it was settled before).
Participating in an academic club also means meeting new people interested in the same topics and thereby learning about new ideas and perspectives. Networking is considered a major aspect of student life and can help the future career. In the end, academic clubs are important for the campus itself. “They hold a lot of value,” Oliver Willis affirms.