by Shaniah Taylor

As Greensboro College welcomes a new wave of students this year, it also welcomes a new wave of ideas and perspectives. While every new student learns about our founding in 1838 or how many times Main Building has burned down, few students learn how to channel their interests into an official club.

Maybe you are eager to start a club to work toward a greater cause or connect with others over a shared interest. Well, lucky for you, the biggest hurdle isn’t the process itself–it is just knowing where to start. According to the Office of Student Activities and Organizations, the guidelines are straightforward. All you need is an advisor (a full-time faculty or staff member), a list of interested students to show the Student Government Association (SGA) that there is interest and a constitution outlining the club’s mission and rules.

With these steps completed, all your club proposal needs is approval from the SGA. The final step is a brief presentation at an SGA general assembly meeting. So if you have an idea, do not hesitate to gather your friends and make it official.

Greensboro College’s supportive environment for new clubs is perfectly exemplified by The Greensboro Gamers. Founded last year by President Brenden Reyes and Vice President Malachi Wells, the club emerged to fill a void after the E-Sports team was canceled. “We had to find a new way to have the gamers come together,” Wells explained.

Their journey as a club proves how manageable the process really is. “It was not hard because we knew what we were going to do,” Wells said. The most important steps were finding an advisor, Dr. Kathleen Keating, and defining their roles in the club. Their real challenge, as with many new clubs, was sustainability. “The hardest part was getting members at first,” Reyes noted, though this year they’ve seen a surge of interest with the incoming class.

Their effort was rewarded when they earned the Best Start-Up Organization of the Year. For those looking to follow in their footsteps, their advice is simple; be persistent and have a team. Wells advised, “Find a group of people that are willing to stay by your side the whole way.” Reyes adds, “You cannot give up. As soon as you give up or say ‘Hey, I am not sure this is going to work,’ then the chances of your dreams being a reality get lowered. So have persistence.”

Ultimately, they see clubs like theirs as vital to building “One Pride” and bridging gaps between different groups through shared interests.

For a perspective from someone currently navigating the process, look to Madison Stokes. Despite being a new transfer student, Stokes is already on her way to establishing a Film Club with Shaniah Taylor as vice president. When asked why she wanted to start this club, Stokes said “I feel deeply for the emotional and psychological parts of film, I want to expose people to a

side of film that does not just serve as entertainment, but as a way to learn how movies make us feel that way.”

Stokes found the process to be very straightforward. “I just talked to the head of SGA, and she told me the process and then spoke to Jonathan Hall who helped me out.” With the support of her advisor, Dr. Hope Jackson, she also hopes the club will encourage students to explore a film major or minor. Stokes has already gained a lot of signatures rather quickly. Her advice to new students is simple: “Go for it. It is easy, especially if you are passionate about it. If you love it and think there is interest on campus, start it.”

Starting a club at GC is about more than just paperwork–it is about building community. Whatever your passion is, Greensboro College makes things easy to turn it into an organization. Clubs are the heart of our community; they bring people together and make a big impact on people’s college experience. So do not hesitate–take that first step and start a club today!