Students will once again crowd the MSC this weekend in search of a new activity, organization or group to become a part of during the Spring 2017 MSC Open House.
This semester the MSC will host more than 340 student groups looking to pick up some new members. Student Director Carling Repass said the spring open house is not as big as its fall counterpart, which hosts close to 600 organizations, because of the way different organizations recruit.
“Some organizations don’t recruit in the spring and just decide to go to the fall open house that most closely aligns with their recruiting process,” Repass said. “A lot of organizations switch officer teams in the spring, so they might be changing people and want to change who they are corresponding with.”
Repass said the biggest challenge is coordinating an event that involves more than a third of the student organizations on campus and the amount of students that flood the MSC.
“It’s stressful, but it’s a really big pay off to see it completed because I was in charge of the fall one as well,” Repass said. “It’s a lot of work but having that sense of accomplishment at the end is probably the biggest benefit for me.”
The spring Open House presents a unique opportunity for students to get even more involved or start their involvement on campus.
“I hope it gets students excited for what the university can offer them in recognized student organizations,” said MSC Communications Coordinator Jamie Arrexi. “Our hope is that they find their niche within the community.”
MSC Hospitality adviser Caitlin Hoover said the Open House not only benefits the students who attend, but also the ones who work to put it together.
“MSC Hospitality has really taken a lot of pride in the event in making it a really great experience for everyone who is in a recognized organization or MSC committee on campus to really promote student involvement and really [get] Aggies involved, and to really help them explore their passions and interests,” Hoover said.
Even though the spring open house hosts a smaller number of organizations than in the fall semester, Repass said it is still a great opportunity for students to attend.
“I think so many students may think they are involved enough in the fall and then they go through the fall semester and realize that they aren’t and really want to do something else in the spring,” Repass said. “They have something to come out again and find organizations.”