Kent State University’s Center for Student Involvement authorized 50 new student organizations in fall 2015, bringing the total to nearly 400 different organizations, according to Katie Goldring, assistant director of the Center for Student Involvement.
“As the number of student organizations continues to increase at Kent State, it truly expands the opportunities for our students, as there is a group to fit every interest,” Goldring said.
And that’s true. Scrolling through the new list of student organizations, a surprising array of categories and interests present themselves – from academics to philanthropy and athletics to social causes. Four new student organizations available for students on the Kent Campus include the Actuarial Mathematics Club, the Diversity in Nursing Association, the Kent State Cricket Club and the a capella singing group Vocal Intensity.
View a full list of student organizations
Actuarial Mathematics Club
The Actuarial Mathematics Club is a new organization for actuarial mathematics majors and any student interested in pursuing a career in mathematics. The club currently holds monthly meetings and frequent study groups for classes in the actuarial mathematics program.
“We cover information about the actuarial industry and try to inform students how to be prepared for a job in the field,” said Kathryn Palmucci, president of the Actuarial Mathematics Club. “We have talked about topics covering credentials, exams and different actuarial societies.”
Palmucci and other students noticed a need for club.
“Matthew Cremean and I started the club this fall semester,” Palmucci said. “We saw that the enrollment in the major seemed to be increasing, and we wanted an opportunity to bring everyone together. We also saw a learning curve with the upper division actuary classes and a lack of tutoring available. The club allows students to help and learn from each other in regards to classes and actuarial exams.”
To learn more about the Actuarial Mathematics Club, contact Palmucci at kpalmucc@kent.edu.
Diversity in Nursing Association
The Diversity in Nursing Association (DNA) was created to increase diversity within the college through peer and faculty support, says Katrina Johnson, president of DNA. Its purpose is to meet the social and academic needs of pre-nursing and underclassmen nursing students.
The organization is made up of about 75 members, and any student is welcome to attend events and programs. DNA’s mentorship program is the largest component of the association, Johnson says. Upperclassmen may be involved as mentors after completing an application process. New nursing mentees and mentors are paired every fall and spring semester. Existing mentorship pairs are not affected.
The senior leadership of the organization feels passionately about DNA and hopes to see it progress.
“We see the potential in this program, and we really believe that if we foster it right now, we’ll be able to see it grow in the next five years,” Johnson said.
Learn more about the Diversity in Nursing Association
Cricket Club
Members of the Kent State Cricket Club started from playing cricket in the College Towers parking lot to being a university-supported club. As international students from India, the players wanted a club to support their interest in the sport.
“We played in private, outside tournaments before starting the club,” said Mahiteja Reddy Kalicheti, president of the cricket club and digital sciences graduate student.
The players wanted to prove they could compete, and it worked. The Kent State Cricket Club was named Best Debutant Team of the Year in the 2015 All Ohio Tennis Ball Cricket Championship held in Cleveland. As a new organization, the club has competed against veteran teams, placing eighth of 32 teams in the tournament. The club is ranked fourth out of 10 teams in the Cleveland region.
The team is made up of mostly graduate students, and the team is looking for young talent to join them in order to sustain the team. The cricket season begins in March and ends in October.
“We play for enjoyment,” said Sainath Reddy Yasani, captain of the Kent State Cricket Club and digital sciences graduate student. “We have a lot of experience, and we’re looking for undergraduate students who have an interest in cricket. We can teach you the game.”
Discover more about the Kent State Cricket Club
Vocal Intensity
Vocal Intensity is a new a capella singing group on campus. The group is for anyone who likes to sing, says Jonathan Natola, president of Vocal Intensity.
“I noticed all these other people trying out for the other singing groups and not a lot of them making it, which can be very discouraging,” Natola said. “Vocal Intensity was made to give those a chance to be a part of a singing family because there are a lot of people that have the ability to sing, and they need to show it off.”
Vocal Intensity holds auditions every fall and spring semester, and any student is able to participate.
Find out more about Vocal Intensity
About Student Organizations
“Student organizations add such a great element to our campus community at Kent State,” Goldring said. “They do great work, whether it is philanthropic or academic in nature, or merely gathering students with similar interests. They really enhance the college experience.”