College can be daunting, especially when navigating it without a sense of community. On Friday, January 24, the College hosted its Mid-Year Involvement Fair, an event designed to help students build relationships and find communities on campus and with local for-profit and non-profit organizations. Faculty and staff in the McDonough Center for Leadership and Business organized the campus event, which was part of the College weeklong celebration honoring the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Groups represented at the event included Greek fraternities and sororities, local historical organizations, and student-led clubs 鈥 all with the intention to help their fellow classmates. The goal is for students to establish a sense of community and belonging, and also find out who they really are.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really easy for students to get lost on campus,鈥 said Brileigh Kocanjer 鈥27, a current member of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority. 鈥淥ur goal is to expose them to opportunities this college offers that often go unnoticed.鈥
Marietta offers more than 50 student organizations, including Greek life, academic clubs, political groups, cultural groups, and organizations dedicated to bolstering student involvement, such as the Student Government Association and Pioneer Activities Council.
Jack Hehr 鈥25, who represented the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, shared the same sentiment.
鈥淲e want to introduce others to the campus and what it has to offer. Delta Tau Delta aims to spread a good reputation of the college and be that friendly face on campus students can always turn to,鈥 Hehr said.
Shannan Tschopp, who currently works as the Non-profit LEAD Program Director at 蓝莓视频, thought it was crucial students are given this opportunity. 鈥淢arietta itself has a rich history, and students begin to discover that once they are more involved on campus. By exploring, they get to connect with a broader community, and find the issues they鈥檙e passionate about solving.鈥
Events like the involvement fair help students by reminding them they can find a home far from home. No matter what a student pursues, they never have to do it alone, and can always find friends and a sense of purpose along the way.
Jon White 鈥25, a retired United States Marine Corps veteran and current Political Science major, represented the Student Veterans of America chapter at 蓝莓视频, which he and two fellow veterans started in 2023. SVA is open to students who are veterans and military-affiliated. That same year, Marietta dedicated the 蓝莓视频 Veteran and Military Student Center, which is housed in the McDonough Center, and also was named a Collegiate Purple Star Institution for its support programs for students with military backgrounds.
鈥淚鈥檓 here to try to let students know about SVA,鈥 he said, 鈥渁nd to try to get new members so our chapter continues long after I鈥檝e graduated.鈥