October 2003

Campus involvement helps students grow

	Student Nicole Kyauk gets a little help as she moves through the ropes during a team-building exercise for student leaders this fall. (Debbie Aldridge/UC Davis)

Coming to a new campus can be a bit intimidating even for the most outgoing student. Those on the shy side may even find the experience overwhelming.

But rather than retreat, getting involved in campus life may be the best way to make the most of a university experience.

In the mid-1980s a well-known UCLA professor posed a simple theory that has become an important tenet in the world of student affairs.

In "Involvement: The Cornerstone of Excellence," Alexander Astin stated that student excellence stems from involvement in both academic and social aspects of college life. "An involved student is one who devotes considerable energy to academics, spends much time on campus, participates actively in student organizations and activities, and interacts often with faculty," he wrote.

More than 400 student clubs

These days, universities help students become well-rounded by offering a wide variety of activities. UC Davis has more than 400 clubs and activities for any taste, from Greek organizations to academic groups to athletic clubs and cultural groups. Other opportunities for participation range from community service through Human Corps to Outdoor Adventures and from the Student Leadership Development Series to intramural sports.

Mireya Lopez, a fifth-year sociology student, says joining Danzantes del Alma in her third year at Davis resulted in not only new friendships and opportunities, but also valuable leadership skills.

Gaining new skills, confidence

The Los Angeles area native was asked last year to become manager of the student dance troupe, which has about 35 members and performs throughout the year. To help prepare her for this task, she took part in last fall's Student Programs and Activities Center Leadership Class. The program taught a variety of lessons, like how to conduct a meeting, fund-raising methods and budgeting skills.

"It was such a great experience because not only do you get to meet a lot of people, but you can actually incorporate some of the things you learn and some of them actually worked," she says.

More importantly, Lopez says, the program instilled her with a new confidence, allowing her to do things she never would have considered when she first came to Davis.

"My first year -- besides the culture shock -- I was the type of person who was always sticking to myself," she says. "But by the end of my sophomore year, the school itself seemed so familiar to me. It seemed like I'd been here forever."

Contributing to the community

Taking part in campus activities came a little more naturally for Nicole Kyauk, a fourth-year student majoring in both communications and sociology. The East Bay native is now helping newer students experience the benefits of being involved in campus life.

Kyauk, who is director of this year's Asian Pacific Culture Week, also served last year as director of the Asian Pacific Islander Leadership Retreat. The retreat drew more than 70 participants including students, faculty and staff.

"The leadership program was a place where I was able to find out where I could contribute the most to my community," Kyauk says.

Ways to test the waters

Being the leader of such a large program isn't for everyone. Kyauk said one way for students to test the waters of student involvement is to take part in one of UC Davis' many student culture weeks or Picnic Day. A large number of volunteers are needed for these events, and there are many areas where a student may have skills to offer, from public relations to finance.

Students interested in learning more about UC Davis' rich variety of offerings will have the opportunity to meet with representatives and learn more about student organizations on campus. The annual Student Activities Faire will be held Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the West Quad.

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