By Thania Figueroa/Staff Writer

Missouri Valley College wants to better student life by bringing new activities, clubs, and organizations on campus.

Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Heath Morgan, is thinking of new ways to encourage current and new students, including freshman and transfer students, to get more involved and participate in student activities. 

Morgan says retention has become an important focus at Valley, and activities and clubs play a role in that.

“The more they are involved, the more they will stay,” he said.

Earlier this semester, an Involvement Fair was held at the quad for students to learn about the activities, clubs, and organizations that are on campus. The Nonprofit Leadership Association, Sigma Tau Delta, Student Nurses Association, and the Psychology Club were some of the organizations and clubs that participated in this event.

The Involvement Fair allowed students to walk around to the different tables, talk to other students and staff that are a part of that organization, ask questions they have, sign up for these organizations, gain further information, and enjoy some free pizza, candy, cookies, etc. 

The Psychology Club made its comeback during the Involvement Fair. They struggled to keep their organization standing after Covid happened in the Spring of 2020. 

Psychology Club President Dajah Robinson said that they brought the Psychology Club back to promote the elements of mental health, especially to college students. Not only are they trying to help students by guiding them in the right direction, but they also know that much mental health information is dated. Knowing this, Robinson and the rest of the club are willing to do more research that is relevant and beneficial to students today. 

The Psychology Club is one of the “newer” clubs on campus. 

Freshman Sophie Cott is new to campus this year and has joined the Theater Club. During freshman move-in day, she saw Theater Club flyers around campus which sparked her interest and decided to come to the first meeting. 

“I was heavily into theatre when I was a little kid,” Cott says. 

Cott was in the theater program at her high school for three years. She was a well-known actress at her high school, and coming to Missouri Valley College, she wanted to “stick to her roots.” 

“It’s really fun,” she said. “It’s kind of like the stereotypical of campus life, which is really fun to me, being around people that are like me and doing things that I really like to do,” she says. 

For those wanting to start a club or organization on campus, the first step is establishing the base of people who want to run the club or organization. The second step is to present the idea to SGA, the Student Government Association. SGA and the activities office will then show the organization/club how to develop their constitution and by-laws. Lastly, the group needs to find a staff or faculty member to oversee them. 

Morgan says he would love to have more new groups on campus because these organizations are a part of what students do every day. Missouri Valley College becomes much more important because not only is it fun, but they have buy-in.