Keys to Involvement Success at GU

Hey, Zags! As you prepare for your exciting journey to Spokane and our campus, we figured you’d have some questions about life at GU. This blog post is all about involvement at Gonzaga, hopefully it’ll provide some helpful tips and insight to get you ready and excited for life at GU!

To make sure your brain is sharp and ready – we’ll start with a quiz.

Involvement Pop quiz. True or False Answers

  1. I should probably stick to what I’m good at – when it comes to involvement.
  2. You have to know people to get involved.
  3. Getting involved is just for fun, it won’t help my grades or with getting a job.
  4. I was involved in high school, so I’ll know how to get involved at GU.
  5. More is better, when it comes to involvement.
  6. There are a few “right” ways to get involved.

If you answered “False – to all of these questions” – you’re off to a pretty good start. Let us help unpack the quiz.

  1. I should probably stick to what I’m good at – when it comes to involvement.

No!! At GU we want you to take advantage of all of the amazing opportunities available to you! We have 166 clubs and counting ranging from Club Soccer to Classics Club. If you’ve never been camping we encourage you to explore the outdoors with Gonzaga Outdoors. Real growth comes when you put yourself in challenging or uncomfortable situations – so be brave! It’s okay to fail, fall on your face and flop — that’s how we grow!!

  1. You have to know people to get involved.

Don’t be silly!  Getting involved IS HOW you get to know people! During orientation weekend there will be a club fair on Saturday, and another get involved fair on campus on Friday, September 9th. During the fairs walk around and check out the clubs/club sports and put your name on lists for clubs you’re interested in. Remember everybody was new once.

  1. Getting involved is just for fun, it won’t help my grades or with getting a job.

I have a feeling your parents are reading this one really closely! We have great news, national research and research among our Gonzaga students has proven that when students are involved they are more likely to feel connected to school which makes them more likely to get better grades and graduate. Plus, employers love recruiting our students who were involved on campus because co-curricular experiences teach skills like working in a team, budget management, conflict management and more! Involvement is such a key component to the Gonzaga experience because we strive to develop the whole person — intellectually, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Much of your development will happen outside of the classroom!

  1. I was involved in high school, so I’ll know how to get involved at GU.

There are two major differences in college and high school involvement. The first is time! Many of you were involved in three or four clubs/teams during school, we’ve learned that one-to-two activities is a good number for new students at GU. There is an adjustment period to school and classes – so we want to make sure you keep your academics a priority. The second major difference leads into point No. 5 – more is not necessarily better when it comes to involvement.

  1. More is better, when it comes to involvement.

With so many amazing clubs, intramural sports, service opportunities and teams we know it’s tempting to do everything!! Please DON’T! We’ve learned that when students pick a few things to get involved in they feel more connected to those activities, less stressed, and make more of an impact. Plus, your future employers want to see that you spent time discerning your passions and got involved purposefully, not just a laundry list of activities.

  1. There are a few “right” ways to get involved.

This is the best and worst news – there is no “right” way to get involved.  Your involvement journey is completely up to you! Some of you may choose to dive in right away while others wait until spring semester to get involved – that’s awesome! In the meantime Zagtivities is a wonderful resource for you as you explore your involvement opportunities. It’s our on-line resource for all events and involvement areas.

If you need help any time during your involvement journey, please swing by the Center for Student Involvement in Hemmingson 304. 

This blog post was written by Dr. Colleen Vandenboom, the Assistant Dean of Student Involvement and Leadership at Gonzaga University. 

P.s.

Get excited about the Club Fair Friday, September 6th at 11:00am on Bulldog Alley. An excelent opportunity to connect with clubs on campus and add your name to mailing lists for updates. 

-Courtney Brown, FYEP marketing intern

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