Getting Involved!

We have been meeting one on one with students to plan spring and intersession schedules since the beginning of the month and it has been exciting to see the diversity of interests and experiences that our students bring to their academics.  I am always surprised by the wonderful things Scranton students do with their free time.  However, I have also noticed that some students are foregoing campus and community involvement to focus completely on academics.  Considering the difficulty of some academic programs, that is understandable but I would like to argue that getting involved can actually help you succeed at Scranton!  

Getting involved will help you build connections!

Maybe your roommate is the best things since Pop-Tarts and you are really hitting it off or your floor is one big happy family.  Maybe you are local and still have a lot of high school friends to lean on.  However, it’s valuable to get involved in the community.  I’ve only met a small fraction of our student body but I know that we are blessed with intelligent, fun and energetic students.  Getting to know more people will help you feel connected and adding positive people to your life will add tremendous value to your experience.  Getting involved in campus activities is a wonderful way to accomplish that.

It can help you try something you’ve always wondered about!

We offer a wide variety of clubs, organizations and activities on campus.  You can get involved in something in academic areas, do club sports, service, get involved in the arts or embrace some multicultural activities.  Click here for a complete list of clubs we offer!  

Getting involved can help you discover something new about yourself!

And isn't that what college is supposed to be all about?! It can help you discover an unrealized passion or an ability you had yet to identify.  It can clarify your career interests and provide you with direction for the future.  Maybe you are a born leader, a natural thespian or a fabulous orator or debater.  You'll never learn these things sitting in your room playing Xbox.  

It can help you build your resume and your network!

Deeply developing your interests in college can make you more attractive to graduate schools and employers.  Get seriously involved in one or two things, fully exploring leadership in these areas and promoting positive changes.  It's great experience for the workforce and your dedication will make you stand out.  You will also meet other people with similar passion and dedication who will be assets to your career network.

It can improve your time management and grades!

On a whole, students who are seriously involved in campus activities are better at managing their time than their less involved peers.  Because they have many obligations to plan, they tend to be more intentional with their plans and more likely to make sure ahead of time that they have enough time to accommodate all of their interests.  As a result they tend to perform better academically.  Additionally, people who are involved tend to feel happier and more satisfied with college and happier people are just more productive!