Student Involvement: UM Edition Wednesday, August 3, :30pm Presented by: Ashley Taggart, Nawara Alawa, Danny Diaz Student Presenter Bios Ashley Taggart - Senior o o Orientation Program Coordinator o o Student Government Vice President Nawara Alawa Junior o o STRIVE o o Community Based Research for Neighborhood Housing Services (Non-profit Organization) Danny Diaz Junior o o Great Start Program Coordinator o o Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity High School to College High school is a very structured environment, college gives you more autonomy and control over your time. Study-to-credit hours ratio figure 2-4 hours of studying per credit hour per week, depending on difficulty of the course. When considering your transition to college involvement, be aware that different involvements will take a lot more time and focus. Dont spread yourself too thin! Explore the many options UM has, and then dedicate yourself to a few organizations/events. Whether you are the president or a general member, dedication and commitment are key. Benefits of Getting Involved Generally more successful in your academic program and receive better grades Help discover career/professional aspirations and complement your professional pursuits Opportunities to build upon networking skills Become more marketable when job searching and applying to grad school Develop valuable leadership and interpersonal skills Benefits of Getting Involved Develop greater appreciation of diversity Learn how to manage budgets; work within a bureaucracy; and utilize conflict mediation skills Have increased self-awareness Enhance interpersonal skills - learn how to work within a team Become more aware of the UM campus community and feel more connected to the campus Feel more satisfied with their college experience How can I get involved? There is something for everyone, UM has about 275 student organizations that involve everything from academics to video games to sports and more. Attend some First Year Success Series sessions during orientation on August 22/23 Go to CANEFEST during orientation on August 23 (LOTS of free stuff! ) Browse the Committee on Student Organizations (COSO) Database What are you interested in? Explore. Go outside your comfort zone. What kinds of involvement? In COSO, we separate organizations into the following categories: o o Academic o o Athletics o o Cultural o o Health/Wellness o o Honorary o o Media/Publications o o Performance o o Professional o o Religious o o Service o o Social Action o o Special Interests o o Umbrella Smith Tucker Involvement Center (STIC) UC209 The Committee on Student Organizations is housed in the STIC. The STIC is the place to go to learn about any student organizations. If you are booking an event, processing payments, starting a new organization, the STIC is the place to go. The STIC also houses: Homecoming Executive Committee (HEC) Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee (SAFAC) Hurricane Productions (HP) Umbrella Organization Category 5 Miss UM Scholarship Pageant Academic/Professional Organizations Love what you study? I hope so. If you cant get enough in class, there are tons of organizations that further the academic experience outside the classroom! Academic Honor Societies Academic Fraternities (Pre-med, Pre-law, Marine Science, Business) Engineering Advisory Board Entrepreneurship Club To supplement these and various other academic organizations, feel free to contact the Office of Academic Enhancement.Handles various academic programs, scholarships & awards Athletic Organizations Intramurals vs. Club Sports Did you play sports in high school? Not about the NCAA life? Its ok, we have intramurals! Create your team Sign up Play Its that simple. Football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, hockey, and so much more. Take it to the next level, join a Club Sports team! Cultural Organizations FEC (Federacion de Estudiantes Cubanos) Engage and immerse yourself in Cuban culture! With everything from cuban coffee to Jose Marti day of service, we have got you covered. COISO (Council of International Students Organization) Love the world and everybody in it? Stop by the office and learn about International students from all over! UBS (United Black Students) Stop by our office and hang out! With everything from step shows to MLK day of service, we have a number of fun things to keep you busy! These organizations all have offices in the University Center, but there are many more cultural organizations available. Butler Center for Service and Leadership (SLC) UC240 Interested in service? Leadership? Both? The SLC is the place for you to be. Most of the COSO Service organizations are run by the SLC. With everything from the Leadership Development Series, to Gandhi Day of Service, to I.M.P.A.C.T, to Tunnel of Oppression, to No Zebras, to Leadership Summit, you are guaranteed to find involvement here! Butler Center for Service and Leadership (SLC) First Year U: Learning, Leadership & Community (FYU) is an innovative leadership initiative at the University of Miami- the first of its kind in terms of purpose and partnerships. FYU, which runs from September through December, is designed to provide first-year students the opportunity to learn about leadership in non- traditional ways, make connections with faculty and explore Miami. Fall 2011 Applications Available August 24 th Deadline September 7 th- Click on the Leadership Development tab then First Year U **Note: The application notes all the program requirements** Student Government (SG) Student Government is an Umbrella organization. SG is involved in many different campus-wide initiatives that are designed to benefit all of the University of Miami Student Body. Executive Board- Get to know your Exec, see how you can help with all the different initiatives! Senate- pass bills that influence daily life at UM Supreme Court- Are you a fan of justice? Keep everyone playing by the rules. Category 5- Spread the spirit bug, GO CANES! Elections Commission plan the logistics of elections each semester What has SG done lately? ICEE machine, Farmers Market, GreenU, improved myUM, Textbook rentals, and more! Greek Life Greek life falls under various Umbrella organizations: Interfraternity Council, National Panhellenic Council, Association of Greek Letter Organizations (AGLO), and Multiethnic Greek Council (MGC). Fraternities and Sororities are great for: A sense of family/support system Gaining lifelong friends Alumni networking Engaging in community service and philanthropic events Gaining leadership experience Over 30 fraternities and sororities, 4 councils, and ~17% of the undergraduate population. Other Organizations Health/Wellness o Ex. Bikram Yoga Media/Publications o Ex. The Miami Hurricane, UMTV, WVUM A good way to stay informed of events on campus Performance o Ex. Salsa Craze Religious Ex. Jews and Muslims (JAM) Social Action o Ex. CAUSA (Students United for a Free CUBA) Special Interests o Ex. SPECTRUM and Association of Commuter Students Also located in the University Center Whats going on? Not ready to join an organization, but want to stay involved? Take advantage of our campus social media resources. The Miami Hurricane Ibis News New UM Mobile App Find out whats going on, and go to all the events on campus. You wont regret it! Words of Wisdom Choose opportunities that interest you. Youll get the most benefit from your involvement and are more likely to remain active in the group. Plus youll meet people with common interests. Dont limit yourself to one type of involvement. Remember that there are some other great opportunities outside of the classroom besides student organizations, like research, study abroad or campus employment. Don't be afraid to try something new. Part of the fun of involvement is trying new things that maybe you couldnt in high school. Words of Wisdom Remember youre a student first. Don't over do it. Engage in various non-classroom activities, but dont allow it to impede your academics or wellness. Its OK to ask for help. Find a balance. When deciding which activities to get involved with, make sure to start slow and add activities as you get comfortable with your schedule. Stay organized! Identify and utilize UMs resources. There are many around campus, but the Student Activities and Student Organizations office is a great place to start. Last but not least Have fun with everything you decide to be involved in!! Questions & Answers Contact Information: Ashley Taggart: Nawara Alawa: Danny Diaz: