Following the first week of classes, students from Marquette’s newest class flocked to Involved’s kickoff event, “Newbie Night Out,” an event dedicated to fostering connections.
Involved is entering its second year as an organization on Marquette’s campus. As a student-owned collective, it aims to build a diverse community within Marquette’s campus through student leadership and collaboration with other organizations, often hosting events for other clubs on campus. Also, Involved frequently works with other on-campus organizations, such as Urban Scholars and the Education Opportunity Program.
Friday’s Newbie Night Out event was held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Coughlin Hall. While it was dedicated to first-year students, all grade levels were welcome. Campus organizations that aim to foster belonging, such as LASO, Marquette University Gospel Choir and Hmong Student Association, were also invited to table outside of Coughlin Hall to garner interest.
Rooms inside the building were sectioned off into different activities, including arts and crafts and Nintendo Switch games. Outside, students were served tacos and ice cream and provided with tables to sit at.
The students behind the event were sophomores MaHailey Stephens and Natalie Rodriguez, who both attended Newbie Night Out when they were first-years themselves. Rodriguez, a student in the College of Business Administration, said she “saw the inclusivity and wanted to be a part of it.” This year, both were asked to take leadership positions as the lead organizers for club events.
Similarly, Stephens said that attending the event in her first year helped her build a community of her own.
“Marquette is a primarily white institution, but this shows everyone can be here,” Rodriguez said. She also said a foundational goal for Involved is making sure it’s open for everyone and not a closed club.
Alondra Cortina-Tamayo, a first-year student in the College of Nursing, felt that organizations such as Involved can provide new students an opportunity to build a network with students both in and out of their program of study.
Ashley Smith, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, was at the event representing Black Mindz, a student organization aimed at providing nurturing and inclusive environments for Black students across campus.
Smith said that continuing to hold events like this will help people find their niche on campus and allow them to find a community that feels like home. Rodriguez and Stephens similarly said that putting effort into meeting and working with new people helps develop leadership skills important to any facet of life.
According to Rodriguez, more Involved events are in the works, potentially including another similar to the Winter Kickback that was held last March. Involved can be found on Instagram at @involved.mu and students are encouraged to join the GroupMe linked in their bio.
Students interested in joining an on-campus organization should attend O-Fest on Sept. 4 to learn more about the clubs Marquette has to offer. Sept. 5 is the rain date for this event.
This story was written by Lilly Peacock. She can be reached at [email protected].
