Written by: Kait Holloway (MSA Student Communications Coordinator)
Attending college for the first (or sometimes the second) time can be a daunting feat, especially in the case where so many of us are learning remotely. A lot of students right now feel detached from the college experience, and that’s perfectly understandable! Regardless, at the MSA we believe you deserve a chance at the college experience you might have hoped for and joining an MSA Club is a great way to do that!
We recently spoke with two MSA Club members here at the college, Abby and Alice, who run the Student Design and WiTT (Women in Technology and Trades) clubs, respectively. They’ve given us insider information about what being a club member looks like realistically, in hopes of making clubs even more accessible to you, the students!
Let’s get right to it, shall we?
Abby Kompare: Student Design Club
Q: How has being part of a club impacted your life? How has your club experience changed during the pandemic?
A: Being a part of a club has been an awesome way to connect with others and meet new people in college. Although the pandemic has changed how clubs run, and there aren’t as many in person activities, being involved is still a great way to get in communication with people who share the same interests as you!
Q: What advice would you offer students who might be too nervous to join an MSA Club?
A: My advice is to just do it! The Mohawk Student Design Club is always ready to accept new members, and especially during the pandemic, there isn’t too much commitment involved. First and foremost, our club is a place to meet like-minded people, brainstorm, chat, and most importantly, have fun!
Q: What is the first thing newcomers should know when joining your club?
A: Newcomers joining our club should have a passion for graphic design and have a basic knowledge of a design program (ideally the Adobe Creative Cloud programs). In the Mohawk Student Design Club, we love to collaborate and work on projects to further develop our professional portfolios.
Q: What life skills have you learned/developed from being part of this club?
A: Teamwork and collaboration is a huge skill we focus on in this club, however, the focus has shifted slightly because of the pandemic. Now, we give out weekly “briefs” which are essentially mini-projects/exercises to add to your design portfolio.
Q: What sort of events/activities does your club typically run?
A: Throughout the pandemic, our online meetings haven’t proven very successful, so we have adapted our approach–We now post weekly design challenges and tips, and share the submissions with the rest of the club for inspiration! In the future we’d love to host a portfolio night, where we help each other put together our best design pieces!
If you have any questions about the club, don’t hesitate! Reach out to myself (Abby) or our Vice President Marina and we will be sure to help you out!
Alice Rende: Women in Trades and Technology (WiTT)
Q: How has being part of a club impacted your life?
A: It has helped me get through the different challenges faced in college as a female in engineering.
Q: How has your club experience changed during the pandemic?
A: It’s definitely been a challenge being online and missing out on those face-to-face interactions. These days with everything being hosted virtually, it can be challenging having so much of our field now taking place on a screen. We have made it a goal to not be overwhelming with events and have tried to keep things easy going.
Q: What advice would you offer students who might be too nervous to join an MSA Club?
A: Just go for it! Most clubs let you do as much or a little as you feel comfortable doing. We are all in the same boat and understand that each of us have different challenges.
Q: What is the first thing newcomers should know when joining your club?
A: We are very welcoming and are here to help you get through it all! We have many people with different skill sets and connections to help you out. If you want to learn more about WiTT check us out [on the College’s website].
Note: The WiTT Club also has a Facebook and LinkedIn page.
Q: What life skills have you learned/developed from being part of this club?
A: I have had the pleasure of helping with many parts of WiTT. I have developed leadership skills, as well as many others.
Q: What sort of events/activities does your club typically run?
A: We have meet-ups that are more about socializing and networking. We have tech talks that feature an expert in [the] field[s] speaking about emerging technology fields. We have symposiums that feature panels talking about different topics that effect women in STEAM. For more information on past and future events check out [the College’s website].
And there you have it! The MSA Clubs Program provides you with a fantastic way to connect with other like-minded individuals in a safe, judgement-free and productive space! To quote Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” so go and put yourself out there! To learn more about the Clubs Program, visit the Clubs page on the MSA website.
