College is all about trying new things and meeting new people. The Involvement Expo provided students, both new and old, with numerous opportunities to do just that.

“Considering I am new on campus, I do not know a lot about all of the different opportunities that UIS has to offer,” said Dalton Homolka, transfer sophomore political science major. “The expo allowed me to explore all of my options for on-campus involvement in a short amount of time.”

Over 50 clubs and organizations partook in the event Jan. 22, including the Biology Club, Model United Nations, Voice in Praise and many more.

“[The expo] exposes students to different student groups on campus, as well as different offices that can help them,” said Beth Nahlik, associate director of student life. “It is a one stop shop for students.”

Not only can activities such as these allow for students to build relationships, improve people skills and get hands on experience within their field of interest, but they can also positively affect students’ grades.

Nahlik explained that research shows “when students are engaged on campus, not just in the classroom, they are more likely to persist and finish their degree on campus.”

Backing this, a study conducted by Mohammad Younis Khan illustrated that, “students who participated in sports activities gained 3.0 G.P.A. on a 4.0 scale, while those students who did not participate in these activities gained below 2.5 G.P.A. on a 4.0 scale.”

Similar to employers, graduate schools and other post bachelor degree programs, want their students to be well-rounded individuals that made the most of their undergraduate years.

Extracurricular activities allow individuals to do this – showing potential employers and admissions departments what they are passionate about.

For a complete list of student organizations or for more information on how to become involved on campus, visit www.uis.edu/studentlife/.