Students in the SERC bustled with excitement on Feb. 6 as they attended this semester’s Club Craze. While SUNY Brockport hosts Club Craze each semester, this semester’s Club Craze had a new twist: interactive stations.
Club Craze’s usual setup involves representatives from various clubs and organizations standing by tables with information about the group they are involved in so they can talk to possible new members. This allows students to get more information on clubs they are interested in.
Club Craze: Expo Edition had a different structure. Alongside tabling, each club and organization had an interactive activity for students to participate in, helping students learn more about each group. While it was easy for some groups to incorporate interactive elements, others had to think outside of the box.
Various club sports teams generated interest with new members through condensed demonstrations of their respective sports. One station that was especially popular was Rock Climbing Club’s station, a new club sports team that just formed this semester.
Through their partnership with Rochester rock climbing gym RocVentures, Rock Climbing Club’s interactive station was a fingerboard hanging apparatus. Attendees tried to hang on to the apparatus as long as they could for a chance to win free passes to the rock climbing gym.
Rock Climbing Club President Memphis Lohnes said that over 60 students expressed interest in joining the club just during Club Craze. Lohnes decided to create the club after attending a previous semester’s Club Craze and noticing that Brockport didn’t have an outlet for students interested in rock climbing.
“If you’re exercising your mind in school, you got to also exercise your body,” Lohnes said. “There is no better exercise for your body than climbing, because it works on mobility, flexibility, strength. Everybody can do it.”
Another club that was popular with Club Craze goers was the Swing Dance Society. Their interactive element was swing dance demonstrations, making the dance style accessible for attendees. Like Lohnes’ testimony about Rock Climbing Club, Swing Dance Society Vice President Harlee Dessoye said that swing dancing is for any skill level.
“Swing in general is based in African roots, but with European influence on it,” Dessoye said. “We accept anyone. I never did swing before this and within one semester I became VP.”
Not only does Swing Dance Society partner with other on campus organizations, such as Brockport Student Government, Tea Club and Greek life, but the club also goes into Rochester to visit jazz clubs.
“It creates a cute little community,” Dessoye said. “And then you get a little bit of skill in case you want to show it off on the dance floor.”
The Swing Dance Society wasn’t the only group that danced at Club Craze: Expo Edition. Towards the end of the night, many organizations performed for attendees. This included the sisters of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., who performed their stroll to “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” by GloRilla. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. President Ariyana Feazell explained why the stroll is important to their organization.
“It’s a way of showing the sisterhood bond and unity,” Feazell said. “We’re all doing the same stroll on the same line.”
The sisters of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. brought multiple interactive activities to Club Craze. The sisters, who are also known as the Pretty Poodles in honor of their mascot, had attendees who visited their table write down something they could do if they knew they couldn’t fail at it and attach it to a board.
“People said different things, like end world hunger and homelessness,” Feazell said. “They said empowering things. It was good to get students to engage.”
The Pretty Poodles also handed out yellow tea roses, their sorority’s flower, and cards with affirmations to attendees.
Not all organizations had a performance element as part of their station. The Organization for students of African Descent, or OSAD, interviewed students on their knowledge of Black history. OSAD President Sierra Stevens said this interactive game helped the organization’s recruitment.
“It really engaged students,” Stevens said. “It’s important for students to get involved on campus because it opens them up for opportunities, meeting new people and making great connections.”
Like OSAD, Sociology Club’s interactive activity that gave attendees insight to the club’s mission. The club’s representatives challenged Club Craze goers to think about how their perceptions of gender affect their interpretations of scents. Although Sociology Club President Miles Dumas said it was challenging for the club to think of an interactive event related to sociology, they were happy with the outcome.
“It was a surprise to most people,” Dumas said. “It got their attention.”
The wide variety of clubs and organizations in attendance helped students figure out how they wanted to get involved at Brockport. The interactive stations that came with the first ever Club Craze: Expo Edition let students get an even better understanding of the many groups on campus. These stations not only gave attendees a chance to participate but also allowed them to learn about the unique values and traits of these clubs and organizations.
