F RI DAY, APR IL 12, 2019
THE CLUB ISSUE CAB FAIR
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CAB FAIR
ILLUSTRATION BY: EMILY SHAMBAUGH/THE HOYA
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CLUB ISSUE Club Breakdown
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Cover Story: Club Culture
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Minority & Affinity Groups
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Finance Skills & Communities
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Stress on the Hilltop
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Club Retention
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Fraternities & Sororities
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Quirky Clubs
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DESIGN BY: MINA LEE/THE HOYA
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019
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Breaking Down Georgetown’s Clubs
383
Clubs at Georgetown
15
are religious/ spiritual
51 are considered
preprofessional
38 are sports 68
are academic
86
are cultural
SAC allocates roughly $375,000 each year for 110 of 383 clubs
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Campus Clubs Form Integral Part of Student Culture ALEXANDRA BRUNJES AND JULIANA ALBUQUERQUE Hoya Staff Writers
When Georgetown University students introduce themselves on campus, a laundry list of identifiers ensues: name, school, year, major, maybe hometown and then extracurriculars. At Georgetown, club involvement can determine friendships, social involvement and perception on campus. This emphasis on involvement in often application-based, seemingly exclusive extracurriculars has led to the emergence of the phrase “club culture,” a term that has become a defining factor of social life at Georgetown and one that alludes to the perception of clubs on campus and the power they have in framing students’ daily lives. Clubs and organizations at Georgetown have always been an integral part of the student experience. Among the oldest debating societies in the nation, the Philodemic Society was founded in 1830 by Fr. James A. Ryder, S.J., and notable alumni include former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (CAS ’57).
Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society, founded in 1852, is the oldest student-run collegiate theater troupe. Eleanor Roosevelt was a patron of the club in 1936, and alumni include Bradley Cooper (COL ’97) and Scalia. A 2012 student life report found that 92.9 percent of the student body was involved with at least one of over 250 organizations, demonstrating how prevalent club culture is at Georgetown.
ORGANIZATION OVERLOAD
Before enrolling in Georgetown, prospective students learn about the university’s many club offerings. Over 200 extracurricular groups exist at Georgetown, and admissions tours and presentations emphasize the wealth of oncampus involvement opportunities, according to Charlotte Kelly (COL ’20), a tour guide for the Blue and Gray Tour Guide Society. Even though the presence of clubs is emphasized, the pressure to join them is less clear. “I would say that most prospective students are not aware of the extent to which club culture is a dominating force in the typical Georgetown student’s social life,” Kelly said. Given that Georgetown does not recognize
most Greek life, these extracurriculars seem to gain more importance, which Kelly tries to be honest about during her tours without blowing their exclusivity out of proportion. “Most people do seem very compelled by the notion of club culture determining some of their social life in place of the typical Greek system,” Kelly said. Despite this focus in campus tours, many students arrive on campus unaware of the pervasiveness and importance of club participation that creates negative pressure for students, according to Cira Mancuso (SFS ’21). “I knew about club culture in the traditional sense, not the Georgetown sense,” Mancuso said. “But absolutely no one actually told me the reality of Georgetown club culture.” Students are confronted with the magnitude of Georgetown club offerings early each semester during the Council of Advisory Boards fair. At CAB fair, students can learn about different extracurriculars and sign up to hear more from those clubs. The event can also bombard some students, according to Mancuso. “It was so overwhelming, too crowded and just an overall sensory overload,” Mancuso
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY CLUB SPORTS/FACEBOOK
The CAB Fair serves as a showcase for many students looking to find the clubs they hope to call home on campus, with many clubs showing up to attract new sign-ups. Recently, Cab Fair 2.0 launched, which features only clubs with open membership.
said. The exhaustive selection process mirrors college admission, according to Monica Rivero (COL ’20), a student who transferred to Georgetown sophomore year from Miami Dade Community College. “Once I saw the applications, I couldn’t believe it. It felt like I had just finished applying to college and now I had to write multiple essays about why I wanted to join a club?” Rivero wrote in an email to The Hoya. For some, clubs feel less like an extracurricular and more like a career, according to Rivero. “The club culture here often reflects a fulltime job,” Rivero wrote.
EXCLUSIVE ENDEAVORS
Though CAB fair can be intimidating, the real stress of “club culture” for some arrives when club exclusivity crystallizes. The preprofessional atmosphere surrounding clubs like Students of Georgetown, Inc., commonly known as The Corp, or the Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union creates high levels of student interest in their acceptance process and social benefits. While GUASFCU, Blue and Gray, and The Corp no longer publish their acceptance rates, GUASFCU only accepted 7.6 percent of 290 applicants and Blue and Gray only accepted 10.2 percents of 313 applicants in fall 2016. Some clubs have ceased to publicize their acceptance rates, which arises from an effort to avoid adding to the overvaluing of exclusivity, according to former Corp CEO Alex Gong (SFS ’20) in a November 2018 Hoya article (“Clubs Respond to Criticisms of Selectivity,” The Hoya, Nov. 2, 2018, A4). The Corp has declined to release its statistics since 2015, when its acceptance rate was reported as 18 percent. “A consensus among the club leadership community in recent years is that by releasing acceptance numbers or interview numbers, you perpetuate the idea that exclusive clubs are the ones you want to get into and that it is some kind of accomplishment if you get an interview or got in,” Gong said. Tight-knit groups, however, can also contribute to the sense of camaraderie, according to Abigail Adams, a student at the University of Edinburgh who is currently on a yearlong exchange at Georgetown. “Coming to Georgetown, I definitely saw the collective sense of purpose inherent in club culture as a positive,” Adams said. “Basically everybody on this campus seems to be engaged with something extracurricular in some way, and those spaces are valuable to students as their social ‘homes’ while also serving a wider mission, whether that’s professional development or journalism or advocacy.” Adams is currently involved in Mock Trial, Delta Phi Epsilon Professional Foreign Service Sorority, the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs and the Caravel, and she plans to get more involved with the Hoya Hub. A “club culture” does not exist at her home university, but her experience with Georgetown’s extracurricular scene has been so positive that she is currently applying to transfer permanently. “In this way, ‘club culture’ was really helpful — it provided a way for me to meet likeminded people,” Adams said.
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019 SOCIAL SAVIORS
While club culture can have unintended consequences, joining clubs can still be beneficial for the social life of students. Mancuso participated in clubs her first year at Georgetown but quit them to pursue internship opportunities. Joining them at all, though, still gave her a friend group that she would not have been found otherwise. “I’m lucky I did, because I don’t think I would have found friends otherwise. It’s bizarre,” Mancuso said. Clubs satisfy humans’ need to find themselves through other people by breaking down a large population like a university into more manageable groups, according to Fathali Moghaddam, director of the interdisciplinary program in cognitive science and a professor in Georgetown’s department of psychology.
“The clubs at Georgetown are ridiculously exclusive, and being forced to structure your social life within that framework is not good for anyone.” KIAN BLEWETT (SFS ’22)
“Humans have deep-rooted identity needs that can be satisfied better through participation in small groups involving face-to-face interaction and personal familiarity with other members than large institutions such as Georgetown University,” Moghaddam said. “We can’t possibly know all the members of the university, but we can get to know other club members. The identity that develops through small group processes is very satisfying.” Committing to too many clubs, however, can have negative effects on students’ academic performance, according to Moghaddam. “The impact on some students is detrimental, because they lose perspective and invest far too much time in clubs and organizations and too little time on academic activities,” Moghaddam said. While clubs can help students connect with people with similar interests, they can also keep people from interacting with a wide range of friends, according to Rivero. “On a very superficial level, I think the intersection between social life and clubs makes a lot of sense,” Rivero wrote. “On the other hand, I think it’s unfortunate. Many of the clubs on campus lack diversity; most students find themselves living in bubbles, having similar conversations all day.” Clubs limit people’s social lives if they choose not to join them, according to Kian Blewett (SFS ’22). “The clubs at Georgetown are ridiculously exclusive, and being forced to structure your social life within that framework is not good for anyone,” Blewett said. “Those who get left out are left even more isolated and those who get in are stuck in echo chambers.”
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LIMITED ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
When reflecting on the downsides of club culture, students are quick to blame the university administration, calling on Georgetown to intervene to change campus culture. Yet the culture seems to come from the high concentration of motivated students on campus. The administration does not play the same role for all organizations such as clubs, student businesses or other studentrun programs, according to Erika CohenDerr, assistant vice president for student affairs. “Those are all categorically different in some important ways, but to a lot of students, they’re not,” Cohen-Derr said. Clubs and other organizations are student-driven and centered around a common interest and mission. They recieve university funding and therefore must abide by certain policies — including having some form of open membership. The regulatory power of the administration lies largely with the Center for Student Engagement and Student Activities, a program under the Division of Student Affairs that regulates university policy regarding clubs on campus. The clubs traditionally perceived as the most exclusive that are now trying to address this issue often have strict admissions policies or for-profit structures like The Corp and GUASFCU — as such, they fall outside the realm of the CSE’s regulation. These clubs do not receive university funding, they pay rent for spaces on campus, and they have closed application review processes. Therefore, changing “club culture” requires student leaders in those groups to change the way they advertise and accept applicants, according to CohenDerr. “They need to be challenging the barriers that prevent students from feeling a sense of belonging,” Cohen-Derr said. The director of the CSE, Aysha Dos, declined to comment. Clubs can improve the perceived exclusivity culture by publishing club acceptance statistics like some have done, more clearly communicating admissions criteria to applicants and implementing open membership, according to Cohen-Derr. CAB has even started hosting a second CAB Fair just for clubs without an application process. Despite her emphasis on open membership options, Cohen-Derr acknowledged the importance of application processes in certain clubs. Selectivity makes sense for clubs with capacity restrictions or skill requirements, but she encourages groups with application-only structures to adopt a more tiered level of participation. Cohen-Derr cited the Georgetown University Lecture Fund, a student group that brings speakers and lectures to campus, as an example of a student group that successfully moved away from an application-only model. Student perception of club exclusivity demonstrates a varied interpretation of the value of Georgetown’s club culture, according to Blewett. “I actually think the narrative surrounding club culture is the biggest thing perpetuating it,” Blewett said.
TOP: GEORGETOWN GAAP, BOTTOM: BLUE AND GRAY TOUR GUIDE SOCIETY
Extracurricular activities, such as The Corp, top, and the Blue and Gray Tour Guide Society, foster relationships outside of the classroom but also add the stress that comes with applications.
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GEORGETOWN BLACK STUDENT ALLIANCE/FACEBOOK
Minority and affinity organizations like Black Student Alliance create spaces for building community for students who might not feel represented within the wider institution. These organizations demonstrate the power clubs can have when driven by inclusivity, but they also recognize that community on campus should not be restricted to clubs.
Minority Groups Embrace Identity, Inclusion
STEVEN BOTSOE Hoya Staff Writer
Georgetown has been criticized in the past for club exclusivity on campus, yet students are still able to find groups that celebrate acceptance. Given the university’s status as a predominantly white institution, minority students are more aware of the need for inclusive spaces. Minority and affinity groups on campus, which are clubs that bring students of common racial, cultural and gender identities together, epitomize the type of settings that students have created. The new Asian-American Hub for Organizing, Movement and Empowerment on Magis Row, an affinity residential housing assignment inspired by the campaigns that created La Casa Latina and Black House, is an example of students taking initiative in cultivating their own spaces. Affinity groups are very multifaceted; some offer preprofessional mentorship, such as Hermanas de Georgetown and the McDonough Alliance, while others organize an array of events, like GU Pride and Black Student Alliance. These clubs’ inclusivity is essential to their nature. For Selena Juarez (COL ’20), the selectivity of some other clubs on
campus that use applications, resumes and interviews to determine membership can be a problematic element of club culture at Georgetown. Juarez is the advocacy chair for Hermanas de Georgetown, a club that provides mentorship and professional development opportunities for Latinx students. “I’m really proud to say that the clubs that I’m a part of don’t require applications,” Juarez said. “Especially because these types of identity-based clubs are critical to institutions like Georgetown, where we’re the minority, and we really just need to find communities to uplift us and support us and get us through this experience.” Siena Hohne (COL ’22), deputy of social affairs for GU Pride, echoed Juarez’s thoughts and expressed how watching peers apply and get rejected from clubs was troubling. Rejections from clubs that are based on identity and interest would be antithetical to their purpose, according to Hohne. “It’s the responsibility, almost, of clubs that are committed to identity to not be competitive and to provide a space where you just meet other people and form relationships,” Hohne said. The open nature of these clubs also means that students engaged in one
group often find themselves involved in or connected to multiple others. Juarez’s involvement in affinity group allow her to express different aspects of her identity, she said. “Just because I am Latina doesn’t mean that’s my only identity. Your identity is very multifaceted; I think that it would be very difficult not to be in all of my clubs because some part of my identity would not be represented,” Juarez said. Kuma Okoro (SFS ’20), vice president of programming for BSA, a representative for the Students of Color Alliance and historian for Black House, said the cultural groups he is part of have helped him find his footing on campus socially. “BSA and ASG [African Society of Georgetown] provided that community on campus that I needed when I came in freshman year through the events that they put on and things like that,” Okoro said. “Then [in] my sophomore year I started getting involved in the boards because these events meant so much to me, so I wanted to give back to those events and put my energy towards them.” While Okoro acknowledged the opportunity that these identity-focused community spaces present, he also expressed how club culture at Georgetown can sometimes be too dominant in concep-
tions of the school’s social landscape, even within identity and interest groups. “Clubs are an opportunity to facilitate community and build community but I think sometimes we limit ourselves at Georgetown to only think in the realm of ‘club’ … and I think that sometimes it may limit our perspective of community,” Okoro said. “Just in thinking about who and what is community on campus, I think that that conversation is largely driven by clubs, but I also don’t know if it needs to be, or if it should be. Sometimes it’s not as organic of a communitybuilding.” Ultimately, students involved in minority or affinity groups see their organizations as tying them to a larger ideological or identity-based community. For them, the work these groups do often comes back to that community. Regardless of whether the events are hosted in Gaston Hall or a small Intercultural Center classroom, Okoro feels they all have significant value. “No matter how big or small the event is, it’s something that’s worth it if it brings the community together, and people can walk away feeling like they know somebody better, they understand their identity better, they learned something,” Okoro said.
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Finance Clubs Build Skills, Forge Appealing Connections JEMIMA DENHAM Hoya Staff Writer
The Georgetown University Alumni and Student Federal Credit Union, the Hilltop Microfinance Initiative, the Georgetown University Student Investment Fund, Hilltop Consultants, the Georgetown Accounting Society — the list goes on. These organizations help prepare students on campus for careers in the finance industry and have witnessed strong student interest in the private sector. Finance and consulting professions were consistently voted the top employment outcomes for graduating classes from 2013 to 2017, according to the Cawley Career Education Center’s website. It seems the joke among McDonough School of Business and School of Foreign Service students of who can grab a coveted Goldman Sachs internship is alive and well. The inherent preprofessional culture all these clubs foster has permeated Georgetown student’s social scene. The way these clubs show their members the interdisciplinary nature of finance is a step toward understanding the immense popularity behind such campus communities. The MSB has fostered a strong presence of finance and consulting clubs to reflect student’s career goals, according to Talia
Schatz, who mentors students and guides them when setting professional goals as director of professional and leadership development in the MSB. Schatz has noticed an increase in the number of students pursuing financial careers, most recently exhibited by the 53 percent of the class of 2018 graduates moving on to the financial services industry. Extracurricular activities related to finance often help students prepare, train and succeed in these industries, according to Schatz. “Participating in clubs that give students more experience within that industry is one way to build skills and make connections,” Schatz wrote in an email to The Hoya. Since the MSB is among the four undergraduate colleges, it provides a prime market for applications to preprofessional institutions, such as GUASFCU, the oldest financial group on campus. GUASFCU has been around since 1983 and prides itself as a “Georgetown institution and tradition.” Meanwhile, groups like the Georgetown Retail and Luxury Association and Hilltop Consultants were only established in the past few years. Each club fulfills relatively distinct objectives and teaches students a variety of skills. For example, Carlos Asorey (SFS ’21) feels that joining GUSIF has taught him key components of financial analysis.
“I came into the club without being in the MSB and with no prior finance skills whatsoever,” Asorey wrote in a message to The Hoya. “Yet only after a couple of semesters I’ve learned a lot about reading and analysing financial statements, valuing companies, and sourcing investment ideas -- concepts I wouldn’t have normally been exposed to.” Beyond the activities the clubs directly oversee, social elements also draw students to these financial organizations, according to Grace Vogelzang (NHS ’19), president of Hilltop Consultants. “[The social element is] both informal and formal,” Vogelzang wrote in an email to The Hoya. “For example, this past week we had a group of members go see the cherry blossoms together and one of our members organized a trip to the Nationals game for next weekend.” This more relaxed network also provides students with opportunities to connect with others who have similar interests and is a common ground for conversation. The lower level of Greek life may also explain why joining finance and consulting clubs is the norm rather than the rarity. Only around 10 percent of Georgetown students are affiliated with fraternities and sororities on campus, which means the majority of Hoyas spend parts of their free time with other groups. When asked about the social environment that preprofessional groups provide, Alima Travaly (SFS ’21) explained that the minimal presence of Greek life catalyzes the communal atmosphere. “I don’t know if [the social aspect of financial clubs] replaces [Greek life], but I do think their social prospect is emphasized by the fact that Georgetown isn’t greek life-
focused,” Travaly wrote in a message to The Hoya. The versatility developed in finance clubs is perhaps one of the most important explanations behind their popularity. Students can utilize their skills in other fields of employment and explore a variety of interests while engaging with a diverse community, according to Schatz. “In addition to finance-related clubs, McDonough offers clubs related to retail and luxury, marketing, consulting, start-ups, real estate, and more, as well as clubs that focus on building connections within diverse communities like McDonough Women and Georgetown Aspiring Minority Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs,” Schatz wrote. Groups like these provide platforms for female and minority students on campus to help plant their feet in an industry that they have not historically been represented in. This is especially true at the C-suite positions, including CEO and chief operating officer, in which people of color only make up 11 percent of positions occupied, according to a McKinsey study. No single answer exists for the prevalence of finance and consulting clubs here on campus. However, the leadership skills, collaborative projects and preprofessional experience students gain from these groups foster relationships and build trust in a community, according to Hilltop Consultants Willa Doss (COL ’22). “There’s also a sense of camaraderie that comes from working alongside a small group of people for so long on an intensive project - teams generally consist of six members and we are all working towards a collective goal,” Doss wrote in a message to The Hoya.
LEFT: GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY STUDENT INVESTMENT FUND/FACEBOOK, RIGHT: KIKI SCHMALFUSS/THE HOYA
Finance and consulting clubs attract students from all four undergraduate schools, but in particular those in the McDonough School of Business. These organizations help students develop preprofessional skills, work on team projects and start establishing connections with experienced professionals in the field.
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Mental Health Clubs, Resources Address Stress Culture MADDIE FINN Hoya Staff Writer
Clubs on campus can be sources of friendship, academic growth, professional connections and party invites, but they can also be a stressful aspect of life for some on the Hilltop. Between the application process and constant interaction with hierarchical power dynamics, some students can struggle with the stress culture associated with a social life that revolves around clubs. When first-year students arrive at college, they typically spend the first few weeks finding their footing socially. A reputation for social activities is “very important” in the college decision for 44.2 percent of students, according to a 2014 study conducted by UCLA. At Georgetown, clubs have become that center for social activities, according to Charlotte Kelly (COL ’20), a tour guide for the Blue and Gray Tour Guide Society. After experiencing the tough club application process, students can still have a positive club experience by joining open membership clubs, according to E.L. Gaylord (MSB ’21), who works as an Outdoor Education guide and a tutor with the D.C. Schools Project. “Club culture is very prevalent on campus. It defines our social groups, nighttime activities and shapes our personalities,” Gaylord said. “Being in a club in general positively impacts mental health because it fosters new identities, gives [students] a sense of commitment and expands their intellectual curiosity.” Rather than steer people away from applying, though, the perceived exclusivity of cer-
tain clubs draws students to them by building up their social status, according to W. Gerrod Parrott, a professor of psychology at Georgetown University. For many freshmen, the highly competitive application processes end in disappointment, leading to a feeling of isolation. “Not only does [rejection] cause hurt feelings, students may come to feel that they do not fit in here,” Parrott said. Maintaining exclusivity, which many clubs have tried to address, creates an unnecessary and negative environment, according to Gaylord. “The [club application] process is flawed because everyone takes themselves too seriously,” Gaylord said. “It should be about learning, having fun and growth — not being exclusive just for its own sake.” Many groups on campus, such as spirit group Hoya Blue and the Georgetown University Astronomical Society, tout their open acceptance, meaning there are no applications required to join them. Forgoing an admissions process allows students to participate in something new with the safety of a no-judgement, low-pressure atmosphere, according to Laura Caron (SFS ’20), president of GUAS. “We make sure our meetings are hosted like ‘open houses’ and that our discussions are interesting yet accessible for people without technical astronomy knowledge, so that anyone who wants to stop in is welcome,” Caron wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Clubs are a lot more fun when no one is worried about whether they are doing good enough to qualify!” When clubs remove barriers in the application process, these organizations become
healthier spaces for all their members, according to Caron. “Open membership makes our club better because, since there are no requirements for membership or participation, our members at any given meeting genuinely enjoy being there,” Caron explained. Groups and resources on campus also serve to combat Georgetown’s stress culture like Project Lighthouse, Active Minds and the John Main Meditation Center. Project Lighthouse helps students as a mediary between campus mental health resources, according to Miranda Gabriel (COL ’20), who works for the club’s hotline. “The mission of the club is to create a safe and receptive space for Georgetown students to voice their thoughts,” Gabriel wrote in an email. “Our purpose is to make students feel heard and validated, and then to guide them towards more long term services Georgetown offers.” Counseling and Psychiatric Services workshops focus on different mental health skills ranging from personal reflection to anxiety strategies to finding purpose, but most workshops do require screening. They meet throughout the semester and are a great resource for students who want to work on something specific. “Intro to Hoya Studies: Thriving at Georgetown” is a noncredit class put on by Health
Education Services to help students through the sometimes difficult college landscape by sharing mental health tips and academic strategies to help with Georgetown-specific concerns. The class is offered to students in their first or second years. The course allows students to adapt to the counterproductive atmosphere that campus stress provides, according to Director of Health Education Services Carol Day, who teaches the class. “The busyness culture where students are striving for more accomplishments and participation in things that contribute to their academic career or prepare them for next steps, contributes to an environment that does not necessarily optimize student well-being,” Day said in an email to The Hoya. “The course offers students the ability to slow down, learn more about their own responses to stress and ways to manage that, and how to understand the art and science of well-being.” When clubs achieve this healthier environment, they can serve as a reprieve from the overwhelming academics of Georgetown, rather than create another stressor, according to Caron. “This helps us make a space for taking time away from the demands of classes and work in order to focus on our own well-being and development as complete people,” Caron said.
LEFT: @HOYABLUE/INSTAGRAM, RIGHT: PROJECT LIGHTHOUSE/FACEBOOK
While some clubs like Hoya Blue and the Georgetown University Astronomical Society emphasize an open membership structure to create an inclusive, low-stress environment, other organizations like CAPS and Project Lighthouse offer strategies and resources for managing the constant stress that comes with Georgetown student life.
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GEORGETOWN PROGRAM BOARD/FACEBOOK
Some organizations have begun to practice open membership, including Georgetown Program Board. Open membership succeeds in combatting the exclusivity that pervades club culture, creating a healthier environment for members. While participation can be an issue for open membership clubs, the practice helps students put their extracurriculars in perspective.
Open Membership Improves Club Culture at CAB Fair SEAMUS MASTERSON Special to The Hoya
Since club culture is a stressor for incoming freshmen, the Council of Advisory Boards fair is an opportunity for students to see what is available to them and what might be of interest. Two hundred fifty-four different student organizations tabled during this September’s CAB fair. CAB fair not only represents the pervasiveness of clubs, but students also often feel pressure to overcommit themselves to organization that they will eventually drop. Club-induced stress begins even before students know about their options, according to Caroline Sarda (COL ’20), ESCAPE leader and orientation adviser. “I also think students were more concerned with knowing how many clubs everyone else was in than trying to get to a certain predetermined number,” Sarda wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Or, they were already expressing unhappiness and disillusionment with the competitiveness, exclusivity, and busy-ness culture of Georgetown.” Questions about whether it is necessary to get into clubs to fit in and find friends are frequently asked during New Student Orientation and in the first month of school, according to Harrison Loef (MSB ’21), a peer advisor in the McDonough School of Business. “Freshmen often ask about how Georgetown club culture mainly is in terms of how competitive and exclusive clubs are,” Loef wrote in an email to The Hoya. “They also ask about which clubs tend to dominate the cam-
pus/club culture and which clubs offer the best opportunity to make friends.” When entering CAB fair, the vast field of clubs may be overwhelming for some students, and it can make them feel that they should sign up for as many clubs as possible, according to Loef. “Freshmen often think they should join as many clubs as possible in order to see which clubs interest them the most and which clubs are most fun for them,” Loef wrote. “This often entails them trying to be very active in lots of clubs and signing up for upwards of 20 clubs.” CAB fair occurs at the beginning every semester. The fair provides clubs the opportunity to showcase their causes and encourage students to join them. While people may overload themselves at CAB fair, many will often become meaningfully involved in only a few, according to Sarda. “I feel most students sign up for a million things during CAB fair but only commit to a few, both from my own experience and from my interactions with students as an ESCAPE leader and OA,” Sarda wrote. That first year is pivotal for a freshman in curating their Georgetown experience, according to Zac Schroepfer (MSB ’19), vice president of Georgetown Program Board. “In my experience, it is very common to see first years sign up for a multitude of organizations from a diverse range of interests, and then to slowly condense their commitments throughout their first year,” Schroepfer said. Many students may feel an expectation to decide on those meaningful clubs immedi-
ately and stay in those clubs all four years, according to Sarda. “I do think they expect to find a few clubs that they’ll stay in for the duration of college, and I think a lot of them do feel pressure to find those clubs very quickly after coming to college,” said Sarda. When Rachel Newman (NHS ’22) came into CAB fair, she knew that some clubs were extremely competitive, but to her advantage, she stayed away from them and was able to focus on clubs she was genuinely interested in. “I was really excited to get started and I definitely signed up for a lot of things, but I also quickly realized how many things were more competitive,” Newman said. “But I also wasn’t really interested in the clubs that are super competitive, so that made it a lot easier for me to sign up for things that I wanted to do rather than things that I thought I should do.” Some clubs on campus do not require an application or interview and are open to all who sign up during CAB fair. The lack of application entices incoming students to sign up for the club, according to Schroepfer. “Campus’ current club culture results in many students becoming tired of having to put themselves out there to simply join a group of people that want to have fun. I think this is why you have seen the recent growth in organizations such as Hoya Blue, GPB and GIVES, which aim to create a fun atmosphere on campus and don’t see the need for such arduous application processes, ” Schroepfer said. Even though open membership can lead to potential issues with participation, open mem-
bership can also improve the atmosphere of clubs and students’ abilities to balance their commitments, according to Schroepfer. “This definitely can cause fluctuations in participation, especially around peak midterm season. However, I don’t think this a problem, but yet a perk for students,” Schroepfer said. “It allows students to not feel like they need to prioritize extracurriculars above all else, but instead focus on themselves, their grades, and having a positive Georgetown experience as well — really working to espouse the Jesuit value of cura personalis. Open invitation clubs offer a community when a student needs and or wants it, but does not shame them for deciding to take a break to focus on themselves.” The university has been working to bring more attention to these clubs. The Council of Advisory Boards hosted the first CAB fair 2.0 in October 2018 to spotlight open membership clubs, according to (“Inaugural CAB Fair 2.0 Looks to Combat Exclusivity,” The Hoya, Oct. 12, 2018, A5). While some can find joining clubs at CAB fair beneficial to their initial experience at Georgetown, students should not feel compelled to join clubs to be successful at Georgetown, according to Newman. “You can be a part of different things or nothing at all and still be doing your best. As long as you’re staying in school and keeping up with classes and work, then that’ll be fine, but Georgetown definitely has a tendency to pressure people into doing things that they don’t want to do,” Newman said.
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DPE PROFESSIONAL FOREIGN SERVICE SORORITY ALPHA CHAPTER
Even though fraternities and sororities on campus do not possess the same scope and popularity on campus as clubs do, several still attempt to create a home for students. These organizations vary by their university recognition status and their target demographic, but they all seek to build community by bringing students together.
Greek Life Offers Community in Place of Clubs ALLAN NAVARRO Hoya Staff Writer
Like many other Jesuit institutions across the country, Georgetown University has officially disassociated itself from Greek life since the mid-1950s, with nothing seeming to signal an upcoming change in the university’s policy regarding Greek life. Nevertheless, fraternities and sororities continue to exist, each aiming to bring something different to the club culture that pervades Georgetown. Ten percent of students belong to some form of Greek life, as estimated by the Georgetown University Student Association. Despite the university’s efforts to dissuade students from joining sororities and fraternities through an annual campuswide email, a steady student body interest in Greek life continues to exist. Out of this interest, the founding and chartering of half a dozen fraternities and sororities have taken place since 2000. Of the factors that distinguish Greek life from clubs, community is one. Greek life fosters a different community than a typical club, according to Josiah Laney (SFS ’21), who is a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. “What’s great about the community is that everyone has their own reasons for
participating in the group” Laney said. “It serves as a hub for you to meet people who you might never have interacted with had it not been for the organization.” Greek life also offers a form of association distinct from typical clubs present around campus, according to Maurice Zekaria (SFS ’21), who currently serves as Jewish identity chair of Alpha Epsilon Pi. “Greek life is a really welcoming environment, one that is not as selective like clubs are on campus,” Zekaria said. “We don’t reject people because we don’t think they’re going to fit in with the group.” Additionally, Alpha Epsilon Pi is the sole Jewish fraternity on campus. Jewish students in U.S. universities used to feel excluded from general fraternities, according to The Washington Post. In this way, Greek life also fosters an alternate form of association for groups that may be minorities on campus, according to Zekaria. “[The fraternity] is a huge part of Jewish life on campus,” Zekaria said. “It allows Jewish life to thrive on campus, with us being able to host events like Sukkot and Purim on campus.” Alpha Epsilon Pi is not, however, the only religious fraternity. Knights of Columbus is a university-recognized Catholic service fraternity. All founded after 2000, most fraternities
and sororities are socially oriented organizations on campus, including fraternities like AEPi, SigEp and Sigma Alpha Epsilon and sororities like Kappa Alpha Theta and Kappa Kappa Gamma. While these forms of Greek life offer a more social environment that aims to create connections and bonds for life, they are also all philanthropic organizations that advance specific causes, according to Kyle Dudzinski (SFS ’21), who currently serves as the consul of the Sigma Chi colony at Georgetown. Sigma Chi recently worked with the Huntsman Cancer Institute to raise money for cancer research, Dudzinski said. This past week, Sigma Chi hosted a series of events called Derby Days across campus, with all proceeds benefiting cancer research. “We have a community service requirement that we fulfill not because we have to but truly because we want to make a difference, so we always emphasize our philanthropy, and that serves as a big part of our vision,” Dudzinski said. Not all forms of Greek life on campus revolve around the social aspect. Alpha Phi Omega, a rare university-recognized fraternity, is a co-ed service fraternity dedicated to furthering community service in the Washington, D.C. area. Delta Phi Epsilon is a internationally focused
professional sorority that seeks to help women pursue global careers. DPE, along with other forms of professional Greek life, emphasizes professional development and networking for future career opportunities in a way that cannot be found in other clubs, according to Tala Alrajjal (COL ’19), a member of DPE. “DPE has been so crucial to my professional development. When I was an underclassman, I was mentored by some amazing and very accomplished upperclassmen who taught me the ins and outs of LinkedIn, cover letters, industry exploration and beyond,” Alrajjal said. “It’s great to have a space like DPE where similarly minded and ambitious women really build each other up.” Although there is an array of it on campus, Greek life is still mostly relegated to playing second fiddle to Georgetownassociated clubs. In many ways, clubs on campus have come to play the role that Greek life typically plays on other universities across the country. The history behind Greek life, however, proves that it does not have to exist in the shadows at Georgetown. “We are tapping into that past legacy, while also starting our own,” Dudzinski said. “That’s very valuable and something that nothing else on campus can offer.”
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019
MIDWEST CLUB Founded last year by Henry Gunderson (SFS ’20) and Eric Ren (MSB ’20), the Midwest Club aims to bring Midwest culture to Georgetown and create an inclusive, enjoyable space for everyone, regardless of where they are from, according to the group’s Facebook page. Last March, the Midwest Club hosted its inaugural event with s’mores on Healy Lawn. Over the past year, the club has increased its presence on campus through social events such as cooking staple meals from Midwest states, movie nights, barbecues, card game nights and study breaks.
GUERILLA IMPROV Founded in 2015, GUerilla Improv is Georgetown’s improvisational comedy group and hosts open practices every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in White-Gravenor 208. This club invites all students regardless of skill level, background and experience. Even beginners can come and learn improv while making friends in a comedic setting with low pressure and stress. GUerilla Improv hosts shows and participates in Improv Fest throughout the semester. GUerilla Improv also collaborates with Georgetown Program Board for auditions for the Funniest Human at Georgetown.
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY ART AFICIONADOS Georgetown University Art Aficionados was founded in 2007 to foster a more creative environment at Georgetown and increase opportunities for student artistic expression. In 2009, the club became recognized by SAC as an official organization. A community of art enthusiasts, GUAA seeks to help others appreciate and connect to art, which manifests in many ways. Focusing primarily on visual art, GUAA hosts coloring and drawing workshops, student exhibitions, guest lectures and more. The club also takes advantage of Washington, D.C.’s museums and galleries, which are close to campus and often free. Some highlights include bringing artist Romero Britto to speak on campus, having a papier- mache night and going to the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
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TAPPIN’ JACKS
Tappin’ Jacks is Georgetown’s premier student-run tap dancing club. The club maintains an active presence on campus with its annual fall showcases. In addition to organizing practices and hosting its own events, the club collaborates with other student cultural and dance groups. Tappin’ Jacks performed at Posada, a dance showcase hosted by the Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Georgetown, a Mexican dance group. Tappin’ Jacks most recently performed at the International Students Association’s Global Expo on Copley Lawn as well as at Relay for Life.
HOYARN Hoyarn is Georgetown’s knitting, crochet and crafting club that aims to create a safe and creative space for people to relax and practice their craft. Whether you want to learn how to knit or find a community to practice your skills, Hoyarn has a spot open for everyone, hosting weekly club meetings and workshops every Friday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the Maker Hub and Idea Lab on the second floor of Lauinger Library. The club also organizes “KAL,” which stand for knit-a-long. KAL brings together a group of people to all choose the same pattern and work on a project with a certain deadline, according to the group’s website.
GEORGETOWN GAMING CLUB Georgetown Gaming promotes gaming as a fun, friendly and competitive recreational activity for all students on campus, regardless of skill. The organization seeks to connect people with the same passion and interests of gaming and expose the community to a wide variety of games: League of Legends, Super Smash Bros, Magic the Gathering, Starcraft, the Legend of Zelda series, Pokémon, Halo, Fifa and more. Georgetown Gaming organizes casual meetups, often with food, for students to relax and play games. The club has also collaborated with other clubs, such as Japan Network Students, in a search for competitive, professional opportunities.
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VIBE_
A group of five students — Shana Shin (MSB ’21), Suzanne Mun (COL ’21), Rainah Adams (NHS ’21), Julie Hurtado (COL ’20) and Ulie Xu (COL ’21) — with a passion for K-pop and K-urban dance formed Vibe_ less than a year ago with a mission to have fun. These girls called themselves E.G.G.S., which has no meaning but sounds cute, according to club leaders, before officially creating Vibe_. They have performed at the annual spring Asiafest the last two years. Since receiving approval from the Student Activities Commission this semester, the group has been hosting open sessions and student-led dance workshops, mainly on Korean and East Asian artists, and it regularly posts dance cover videos.
CRICKET CLUB Founded last fall, Georgetown University Cricket Club is one of the newest recreational sports clubs on campus. A relatively uncommon sport in the United States, cricket is extremely popular in countries like England, Australia, South Africa, India and Pakistan. GUCC’s primary objective has been to spread awareness of the sport and create a space for anyone to play, practice and compete. Earlier this semester, GUCC won its first few competitive matches against The George Washington University. Besides hosting weekly practice sessions, the club frequently organizes watch parties for exciting international matches, providing opportunities for community bonding and entertainment.
GEORGETOWN ANIME CLUB Anime Club, though small, remains active on campus through weekly meetings Monday nights. At the beginning of each semester, the club votes on a series of nominations and selects two to three anime series to watch together. Anyone can find great new anime shows to watch, as well as the opportunity to make friends and meet other members in the community. Anime Club also hosts a few movie nights and attends the Katsucon, an anime convention in Maryland, every year. Currently, the club is watching Mob Psycho 100 and Nichijou. Anime Club is a great way to relax and destress, according to Dylan Hughes (COL ’19).
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