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Nicole Bussey, ob/gyn clerkship coordinator, right, promotes the ob/gyn student interest group to new students. |
With name tags on their shirts and red, plastic bags filled with goodies, about 400 new students Thursday attended UNMC’s annual Student Activities Fair, which featured booths from nearly 30 officially recognized student organizations in the Center for Healthy Living gymnasium.
“This is great,” said Jewelia Grennan of Columbus, Neb. “I had no idea there were so many organizations you could join.” The first-year medical student was “sold” on the American Medical Student Association’s promotion – a free anatomy textbook with a paid membership.
For two hours, students were able to explore the vast organizational opportunities at UNMC, from the Aging Interest Group to the Family Practice Club to the Student Association for Rural Health.
In hopes of boosting enrollment, organization representatives used colorful posters and T-shirts to lure students, as well as such freebies as rainbow-colored Slinkies, pencils, lanyards, miniature candy bars, scratch pads, highlighters and neon drinking glasses.
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New physician assistant students Meagan Misner, left, and Katie Smith express an interest in UNMC’s medical service mission opportunities. |
There were enough flyers to wallpaper an apartment – one page flyers outlining the Top 10 reasons to join a particular organization, tri-fold brochures on student interest groups and multi-paged promotional material on medical mission trips.
“What is the time commitment (for the organization)” was the question posed again and again to third-year medical student Nick Behrendt, who handed out rainbow-colored Slinkies on behalf of the UNMC Student Senate.
The event, which was organized by UNMC’s Student Counseling office, also enabled students to unwind before the start of classes Monday. Many lingered in the gym to eat lunch and listen to music, which was provided by Complete Music.