Get Your Group On

By Paul Thomas, Winter 2010

Are you a student who feels that there is not enough time in class to cover a specific topic or set of issues that you find interesting? Or maybe you have an interest that you would like to share or explore with others, but need some added structure? Perhaps you can meet these needs by forming a new student group.

In an effort to enrich the academic environment and promote self-initiated learning, students have developed campus groups that focus on a specific theme or program-related topic. Two campus groups that currently exist include the Rockway and Asian American groups. In years past, there has also been an International group as well as one on Narrative Therapy. These groups provide a number of opportunities for the Alliant community to explore issues and share experiences that may not otherwise be available on campus.

Creating a group is a four step process that involves filling out an application, writing a brief statement of purpose, finding a faculty adviser, and briefly describing the event/s that members wants to host during the semester. Every group that is registered receives a stipend from The Student Government Association, which can be spent at the discretion of group members. Typically these resources help to fund group-related guest lecturers and social events that are held each semester.

SGA’s community liaison, Kate Ramsaur, is coordinating the details of the application process and can be contacted at kateramsaur@gmail.com for more information. There are a limited number of stipends available and a rolling deadline is in effect, so start thinking about what groups you would like to create and get your group on.