Clubs and Opportunities at St. Mike’s

Clubs and Opportunities at St. Mike’s

Photo Credit: University of St. Michael’s College

Clubs, committees, campus life, and cool things to do here!

Shmily Lin, News Editor

The University of St. Michael’s College (USMC) is home to numerous clubs, organizations, and activities that students can get involved in. These groups are a great opportunity to meet new friends and partake in student life. They give students an opportunity to pursue their interests while gaining leadership experience. Listed below are just a few of the diverse experiences offered at St. Mike’s.

Clubs

Pair-A-Dice: Pair-A-Dice Gaming is a board games club at St. Mike’s offering more than 50 different board games for students to play together once a week. Traditionally, the club meets every Friday in the Coop for a few hours, food and drinks provided. In the age of the pandemic, the club has shifted towards offering online games and gaming sessions, but there should be plenty of in-person sessions this year.

SMC Inclusive: SMC Inclusive is a club at USMC focusing on diversity, inclusion, and representation on campus. The club is allied with LGBTQ+ students and encourages the free expression of sexuality and gender through workshops, panels, and socials. Additionally, the club offers many opportunities for advocacy and community service.

Troubadours: SMC Troubadours is the theatre group at St. Mike’s. They perform a range of productions throughout the school year, allowing students to get involved through both performing and writing. You do not have to be in the club to attend their plays or audition for a part, making it a great way for theatre junkies to express their inner artistry.

St. Mike’s Wellness Council: SMC Wellness focuses on improving the mental well-being and physical health of students. They sponsor activities such as stress dogs, Talking Circles, and weekly meets at Basil’s Cafe, all of which give students a chance to destress and decompress during the hustle and bustle of school life.

SMCSU

The St. Michael’s College Student Union, or SMCSU, is the student-led union that makes many of the executive decisions relating to USMC students. They help plan events, distribute funding for clubs, and negotiate on behalf of students at St. Mike’s to improve the general quality of student life.

Elections for Vice President (VP) positions on SMCSU happen in the winter semester every year, and each VP position is responsible for a different facet of responsibilities. Each VP also heads a number of committees where students can get involved by helping with tasks, coming up with ideas, or aiding in the execution of events. Committee applications are generally open during the first month of classes and they are a great opportunity for new students to get involved in campus life.

SMRC

The St. Mike’s Residence Council, or SMRC, is also comprised of student executives. Similarly to SMCSU, students are elected around the end of the winter semester. However, SMRC is in charge of running events related to residence life.

During the year, students living in residence have the opportunity to get involved in SMRC by being a part of their house council. Each house elects a council that will make decisions on house activities, spending, and participation in residence events. Anyone living in residence can run for their house’s council, and it is a great opportunity to gain experience in both campus and residence life.

Orientation

As you are likely aware by now, Orientation is the program designed to allow first year students to get integrated in university life. Orientation at St. Mike’s is made possible by the efforts of a lot of people, including the student orientation coordinators, marshals, and leaders. Applications for these positions usually open around the end of the school year and are a nice way to give back to the USMC community.

Mentorship

The mentorship program at USMC pairs first year students with upper year mentors to allow first years access to more personalized help. Like Orientation, students can apply to become mentors or senior mentors around the end of the school year. First year students can also apply to become mentees, though the bulk of applications were processed earlier in the summer.

Listed here are just a few opportunities open to students at St. Mike’s. Often, students find that getting involved in just one or two of these opportunities opens the door to many more. Although many of us may only spend a few years in university, the memories made at USMC and beyond will easily last a lifetime.