By Destiny Montes, Pulse staff writer
The clubs and organizations of Palo Alto College have grown over the years. With more than 25 to choose from, the activity spectrum is wide.
“We allow students to create clubs built on their special interest,” said Carmen Velasquez, director of Student Engagement and Retention. “These clubs will provide you with moral support, guide you and [are] a place to exercise social interaction and hard work.
Joining a club opens the door to building lasting friendships, expressing yourself and exploring career opportunities. As an active member of a student organization, you will learn important leadership and management skills. Palo Alto supports student organizations and their mission of promoting cultural enrichment and growth.
The clubs of PAC connect with our campus by designing their own club shirts, planning events such as Paloween and fundraising for desired trips.
“…our main goal is to take our members to an anime convention,” said Jessica Bautista, president of the Anime Club. “It’s just like a reward for us getting through the semester.”
The Anime Club of Palo Alto is a place for those with an interest in Japanese culture. They enjoy a wide variety of anime while also gaining exposure to other elements of Japanese society, culture and language.
The freshly founded Photography Club has multiple events going on monthly, such as photo walks at parks and museums, scavenger hunts downtown and accessible and creative photo themes. The Photography Club promotes interest in photography and community projects.
Ami Garza, member of the Photography Club said, “We encourage people to take pictures and capture the moment.”
The Horticulture Club just recently participated in an event welcoming the new Botanical Garden here on campus. Members sold plants and pumpkins to showcase their love for our students, environment and campus.
“We love plants and the outdoors. We don’t spend enough time outdoors,” said Kirk Williams, adviser of the Horticulture Club.
You can join–or lead–any of the 27 organizations. All it takes is a trip to the Office of Student Engagement and Retention. If you don’t find a club that interests you, OSER will provide you with the necessary instructions to create your own club.
Starting your own club depends on only a few requirements: you must find a willing sponsor, whether it is staff or faculty, have a 2.0 GPA and, most importantly, 10 members.
For more information, drop by the Office of Student Engagement and Retention in the Student Center, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or contact Carmen Velasquez at (210) 486-3130.
PAC Student Media 