St. John’s University hosted its annual Fall Activities Fair on Monday, bringing students together on the Great Lawn from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. to explore over 150 SGI-recognized student organizations and department groups.
The fair provided a glimpse into campus life with tables and booths set up across the lawn, representing a diverse range of interests and activities. Students had the opportunity to interact directly with club representatives, learn about upcoming events and sign up for different organizations including sororities, fraternities, honor societies and sports clubs.
The University’s Division of Student Success was present at the event, offering ice cream at their booth. Additionally, a bounce house was set up for students to enjoy throughout the fair.
Preparation for the fair began well in advance, with groups carefully planning their displays and booths. Elwood Roberts, secretary of Red House, explained that the organization, a campus fashion group, had “facetimed” over the summer to prepare for the event.
“We all met in person to begin the process of setting up our booth because we had a lot of physical things we wanted to bring,” Roberts said. “We also have a sponsor for this year and are giving out perfume samples, so we needed to orchestrate all of that.”
Jason Gutierrez, vice president of SJU Runs, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to connect with potential new members. Their new organization caters to students interested in group running and walking and made its first appearance at last year’s Spring Activities Fair.
Torch Photo / Isabella Athanasiou
“We just want as much engagement as we can get,” said Gutierrez. “We want people to come have fun, do some exercise and make some new friends.”
Encouraging participation in future events, Madison Traverzo, recruitment chair of Theta Phi Alpha, emphasized the usefulness of the fair to all students.
“I always come every year, and not just because I have a table,” Traverzo said. “I come because it is so cool seeing all of the organizations and clubs and new ones that you don’t even know about.”
“I think it is useful for every student to come out and see.”
Additional information regarding student organizations and clubs can be found on the University’s website.
