Although Wayne State U. is primarily a commuter university, one reason for students to stick around campus after classes is the many different student organizations.
With more than 280 organizations to choose from, students have the opportunity to experience a variety of activities including Greek Life and religious, health and career-related groups.
One of the keys to success in college is being “connected to the university,” said Wayne State Dean of Students David Strauss. “Getting involved in a student organization is a great way to be connected. Students learn leadership skills, hone their planning skills, learn how to work with others and have fun.”
One of the most common forms of student participation at colleges and universities is the Greek life, which include fraternities and sororities. According to the Dean of Students’ website, Wayne State has 10 sororities and 13 fraternities.
“You get a chance to be a part of an organization that’s a lifelong organization,” said Tiny Sebastian, Coordinator of Student Life, Greek Affairs and Student Activities. “Once you become a member of an organization, you’re in it for life.
“It’s great networking because you may meet a member that’s a part of your organization from another chapter, another university from a business you’re interested in being a part of.”
Sebastian said each fraternity and sorority has its own recruitment process, including a “rush week,” where the organization holds open houses and other events.
“The reason why you pick that organization is because of their values and their mission,” Sebastian said. “You’re in a group of people that have the same interests as you do.”
Sebastian said there are more than 500 students currently participating in Greek Life.
“It’s a small percentage when you look at it with our enrollment rate,” Sebastian said. “But it’s a pretty nice chunk considering we’re a commuter campus.”
More information is available at doso.wayne.edu/greek.
But for commuters, there are other organizations out there. For those interested in bettering the university, there’s the Student Senate.
According to its website, studentsenate.wayne.edu, the Senate is “the primary representative institution of the student body and exercises its authority in the students’ name and for the students’ welfare.”
Student Senate meetings occur every other Thursday in Hilberry A, located on the second floor of the Student Center (for the location of the Student Center, see the map on page 8). Elections, for example, happen every spring.
The Senate has increased its visibility under its new regime, including passing reform in the tuition increase package and meeting with current interim president Allan Gilmour before his Aug. 10 introductory press conference. Gilmour talked about his meeting with the Senate and touched on why he feels student organizations are an important part of the college experience.
“We want this campus to be as vibrant as possible,” Gilmour said. “It is largely a commuter campus and so kids leave at the end of the day. I want it to be as attractive as possible so they will spend as many hours as possible on this campus.”
Information on all student organizations can be found at doso.wayne.edu.