With the academic year hitting its halfway mark and the second semester in full swing, a variety of new student organizations have been set up on campus.
Students across all years and majors consistently spread their passions through Quinnipiac University by creating clubs or bringing on student chapters of larger organizations.
Those interested in joining any new or existing clubs can find meeting times and e-board members on Bobcat Central.
Quinnipiac Dance Collective
While there are several dance teams on campus, Gabriella Zocchi, a sophomore psychology major, noticed the large number of people not making those teams but still seeking an outlet for their passions.
Zocchi created the Quinnipiac Dance Collective as a way for people to still express themselves through dance without having to go through the audition process.
“After having made it on the Kickline team in my freshman year and seeing and hearing about people continuously audition for multiple teams and experience rejection, I realized how privileged I am to still have the chance to dance,” Zocchi said. “So, I created this with the help of my wonderful e-board to share that privilege and make sure that anyone who wishes to dance has the chance to do so.”
The kickoff meeting will take place Feb. 13, at 8:30 p.m. in Tator Hall 113. Those interested will be able to meet the e-board and learn more about the opportunities. Then on Feb. 22, at 11 a.m. to noon, the club is hosting its first open jazz dance class.
Zocchi plans for weekly dance classes, open to anyone, to begin soon. Later on Zocchi looks forward to events, merchandise and a showcase featuring all the members.
The club allows for people with a passion for dance — or those new to dance — to have a space outside the competitive atmosphere.
“The goal of our club is to create an inclusive space for everyone to be able to dance,” Zocchi said. “We felt as though there were many students that wanted more outlets for dance on campus. Our club focuses on providing classes for students to come together and share their artistic expression through different styles and abilities.”
Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services Student Chapter
The Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services Student Chapter (QU IRIS) is part of a local nonprofit immigrant and refugee agency, Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS). Jannat Butt, junior political science major and QU IRIS president, brought the student chapter on campus to raise awareness and support the organization.
“They provide a variety of different services to help facilitate the assimilation process to the U. S. for these types of communities and individuals,” Butt said.
These services include assistance in the healthcare system, finding employment and housing, enrollment in ESL or English as a second language courses, legal matters and more.
The student chapter works to spread information about the organization and how students can get involved.
“So for me, it was like providing a consistent way for students to get involved, generationally over the years,” Butt said. “And a strong way for students and faculty to collaborate and get involved.”
The chapter meets bi-weekly on Tuesdays in Tator Hall 232 from 5-6 p.m. in either the Mount Carmel Campus dining hall or Tator Hall. So far, the club has hosted collection drives, information sessions and panels. Soon, they will also participate in IRIS’ yearly 5K fundraiser.
Butt plans to spread works of the organization through the Quinnipiac community to other on-campus organizations, as well as throughout the local Hamden community and beyond.
Sports Analytics Club
Graham Speidel, a third-year 3+1 economics major, and Vin Barone, a third-year business analytics and computer information systems double major, both share a love of sports, as well as the statistical side. With these common interests in mind, Speidel and Barone created the Sports Analytics Club as an outlet to combine them.
“The main goal of our club is to create an opportunity for people where they can talk about their favorite sports, but also understand and learn about how important the data behind them are,” Speidel said.
With no official place to share these interests on campus, Speidel and Barone worked alongside Assistant Professor of Management Donald McAulay, to create this space for students also interested in sports analytics.
The meetings are held Wednesdays from 7-8 p.m. in School of Business 121. They hope to become more involved with the athletic department and host events in the future, benefiting members and student athletes.
“The idea is that we as a club can benefit from this real-world experience of performing data analysis on QU Athletics data,” Speidel said. “At the same time, we hopefully can help either individual teams or the athletics department with our analysis findings, whether that is with strategy or something like promotions.”
Quinnipiac Consulting Group
Alex Miller, a junior finance major, created the Quinnipiac Consulting Group in order to give students a hands-on experience outside the classroom. Members gain experience in the consulting field working with nearby businesses, helping to solve issues.
Miller noticed there were not many opportunities for students to get this experience before graduating. He created the club in order to provide students with this experience, whether passionate about consulting or interested in learning more.
“So I think it’s idea came from just developing the idea and developing the skills needed within the consulting industry,” Miller said.
The club recently held its first meeting of the semester and meets in the School of Business on a minimum biweekly basis. As for the future, Miller is interested in bringing in info sessions and events.
The group provides free consulting to local businesses, also known as Pro Bono Consulting. These experiences help students gain more knowledge and experience upon entering their chosen fields.
When creating the group, he had the idea “to start some pro bono business consulting which could be good when trying to get internships, talk about in interviews for applications and just overall have it on your résumé,” Miller said.
Not only do the students gain the experience for their resumes, but also the chance to spread their name and Quinnipiac’s name through the industry.
“Our work not only benefits the clients we serve but also demonstrates the value of Quinnipiac’s educational programs to external stakeholders,” Miller said.
Miller also hopes to expand beyond Pro Bono Consulting as the club continues on and welcomes new members.
Those interested in joining can contact Miller directly via email ([email protected]) or through their Instagram, (@quconsultinggroup). Miller and his e-board are accepting new members and are eager to give others this hands-on experience in the consulting field prior to graduating.
The Balkan Heritage Society
Aida Mujevic, sophomore radiologic science major, and Aurora Nasufi, sophomore health sciences major, created the Balkan Heritage Society after feeling a sense of belonging together when learning they shared the same ethnicity. The society serves as a welcoming place for any students of the Balkan diaspora to feel comfortable and learn more about their culture.
The Balkan region is made up of Albania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Greece and more.
The society is also open to any student interested in learning more about the culture.
“It is a great opportunity for not just students of the Balkan diaspora to learn more about their culture, but for other students to share in the experience of cultural exchange,” Mujevic said. “It is important for us to create a community where our culture can be expressed and serve as a vessel for forming new bonds with fellow students here at Quinnipiac.”
Meetings are currently held Fridays from 5-6 p.m.. However, the time is tentative and more information can be found on their Instagram (@bhs_qu).
Mujevic looks to host events to include cultures of all Balkan countries, — including food, trivia, paint and sip nights, as well as other fundraising events.
“We also aim to host fundraisers to help underprivileged areas with educational opportunities by funding schools and organizations,” Mujevic said.
The society aims to foster togetherness in the community on campus.
“Given that most diaspora students feel a strong sense of pride and belonging to their heritage, this club hopes to raise awareness and funding for our countries back home due to the economic and political challenges that they may face,” Mujevic said. “We want to give back while getting closer to our community.”
Quinnipiac Pickleball Club
As the sport of pickleball actively grows, sophomore health science/Doctor of Physical Therapy major Joscelyn Spinelli looked to bring the sport on campus. The Quinnipiac Pickleball Club creates a community for those who love the sport or are looking to learn more.
After learning that other Connecticut universities were introducing pickleball to its campuses, Spinelli thought it would be a great addition to Quinnipiac.
“We promote physical fitness and social interaction through organized play, friendly tournaments and other events to make this new club prosper here at Quinnipiac,” Spinelli said. “Our club is dedicated to building community among members in a fun and engaging way.”
Meetings are held every other Monday from 8-9 p.m. in the Recreation and Wellness Center basketball courts. However, the time is tentative and open to change based on the club’s need
Members of any skill level are welcome in this space to build community and growth in the sport.
Spinelli looks to also foster friendly competition within the club, and later hopes to compete against other schools. She also plans for future fundraising events to later create team merchandise.
“We hope to have really engaged practices where people want to come and spend time with their friends while getting exercise and enjoying the sport,” Spinelli said.
