To better ourselves inside and outside the classroom, becoming involved with clubs and organizations will help keep students in the know of campus life here at Chaminade and prepare us for the “real world.”
“You only have four years to find yourself and involve yourself,” said Glenn Yri, 21, a senior student at Chaminade. “… It makes your time (at college) worthwhile.”
Being one of the most involved students on campus, Yri, a local white boy from Kapolei, was first involved at Chaminade as a Residential Assistant. He has been involved with the Residential Life group as a Residential Assistant (R.A.) for three years.
Yri has been involved with the Rotaract Club, Marianist Club, was an officer of the Bloggers Club, campus ministry, hosted the new student retreat twice, played basketball intramurals, and is currently involved with Chaminade’s new Internet radio.
“When you have connections on or off campus, you are making the best of your time,” said Yri.
Yri is an out-going individual and hard worker, and since he has lived on the island for most of his life, he has started to make a name for himself.
“I knew absolutely no one when I first came here,” said junior Kristen Rothermel, 20.
Unlike Yri, Rothermel’s experience was a gamble from the start. Finances were tight, and she traveled over 4,000 miles away from her home in Philadelphia, PA.
Fortunately, Rothermel was eased from some of the financial burden of tuition with her continuing religious scholarships while attending Chaminade, and has found her way of being involved over her last two years at Chaminade.
Rothermel started her freshman year off as a part of surf club and continued as president for the next semester. She is currently involved with the Awakening Retreats, Delta Epsilon Iota (DEI), Women’s L.I.F.E, Campus Ministry, the Accounting Club, and the Civic Engagement Club. This year, Rothermel also was voted into office as the new vice-president of finance for the Chaminade Student Government Association (CSGA).
“I feel like a part of the Chaminade community and like being involved in it,” Rothermel said. “The added responsibility has helped me grow as an individual.”
Chaminade provides many avenues to develop a unique experience for students, while still making the most of our time and money. These advising centers are located around campus, and are always available to help.
One of the organizations is Student Support Services. At this branch of Chaminade, the faculty will help you work on Résumés, take some personality tests, and be counseled and help guide you to where you feel you will fit best in at Chaminade.
The Student Support Services at Chaminade will also help accommodate you with a campus job if you need one. These jobs are fun and you can use as study time once the work is done. You also get to know the school better and the students you see every day from your work area.
Another area on campus you can utilize is the Office of Student Activities and Leadership (OSAL) office.
At OSAL, you can join an intramural sports team or sign up for one of the school’s teams. If you like the intensity, have the time, and are willing to work hard, you may be up for a scholarship opportunity as you grow on a Chaminade team. But if you are just out there for the love of the game, intramurals is for you.
Here you can also ask questions about clubs and organizations and where to attend these groups. There is a wide variety of clubs here at Chaminade where you can build relationships with like-minded individuals. OSAL, will provide a list of clubs you can choose to attend and any leadership positions available, if you are looking for a significant role.
Lastly is the Campus Ministry sector. Through Campus Ministry, there is a list of ways you can get involved.
The Mystical Rose Oratory, located on campus, has two services on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Attending services is not only a way to keep up with your faith but is also a way to get to know some like-minded individuals.
Also, to meet more people, attend retreats. They are a great way to build friendships and enjoy “fun stuff.”
Service is one of the Campus Ministry values here at Chaminade. One way to get involved through service at Chaminade is by volunteering. Feeding the homeless and providing your time is always a great way to spend a day with our campus ministry group at Chaminade.
The key is to finding someone or some common goal you can relate to. If you have a student or faculty member in mind, take some time out to get to know him or her. Ask them how they ended up at Chaminade and what steps it took for them to get here, particularly in your majors department.
Many opportunities come out of being upfront about your goals with your professors.
You may find that many of the people you talk to around campus have gone down some similar, or completely different paths in order to end up where they are now.
