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By Victor Mora / Staff Writer
Window shopping (Jasmeet Singh / Photo Editor)
By Victor Mora / Staff Writer
For students at Riverside City College there is an alternative method for making friends and networking with each other without ever sending a friend request.
This method is carried out by joining a club or organization on campus.
RCC offers a plethora of opportunities for students to not only meet new people but to also be involved on campus and in the community through club membership.
A diverse assortment of clubs participated in Club Rush on Sept. 20-22.
The subject matter of the clubs present ranged from awareness of mental health, to gender and sexuality, sustainable living, karate, and educational advancement.
One club that promotes awareness about mental illness and disorders through student workshops designed to help open an enlightened dialogue on campus is Active Minds, which meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:50-1:50 p.m. in Quad 116.
“Active Minds is the only organization that utilizes the student voice to change the conversation about mental health on college campuses,” said Active Minds President Doug Figueroa. “We want to make sure that students are aware that it’s okay to talk about mental health, because the more people talk about mental health illnesses and disorders the less that they feel alone when they’re suffering through those pains.”
With the bullying of gay youth resulting in suicide making headlines throughout the country, the Gender and Sexualities Awareness Club seeks to provide a safe and supportive environment for all RCC students regardless of sexual orientation through holding discussions, allied workshops, student allied training and tours to museums and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
“We promote equality and awareness to all students. We primarily focus on lesbian, gays, transgendered, everybody really,” said the club’s Vice President Manuel Gray. “One of our goals is to bring a resource center here for the community where students can go to feel comfortable and feel safe.”
“Our club basically promotes and brings awareness here and to the community,” Gray said.
Gender and Sexualities Awareness meets Thursdays at 12:50-1:50 p.m. in Quad 121 and 4-5 p.m. in the Quad courtyard.
If a student is interested in learning ways to lower their carbon footprint then the Sustainability club is for them.
The club promotes sustainable living, a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual’s use of the earth’s natural resources and meets every Thursday in Quad 127 from 12:50-1:50 p.m.
Campus wide advocacy for green initiatives, hiking and camping trips, bicycle and public transportation awareness and the creation of a community garden on campus are some of the ways that the Sustainability Club will be involved.
Other clubs that were also present were the Karate Club, Christians on Campus, Inspired 4 Change, Transfer Readiness & Awareness Club and Student California Teachers Association.
Many students found the information that these clubs provided very helpful.
“I visited the SCTA because I’m interested in teaching,” said RCC student Mark Farrell.
Students are also more than welcome to start their own club.
They can do this by having a full-time faculty member sponsor the club or organization and attend meetings, provide a list of nothing less than seven prospective club members and a written club constitution.
Further details for the process can be acquired in the RCC Student Activities office.
