UNA has approximately 120 Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) for students looking for a way to become involved on campus, based on a number of social, service and academic interests.

Tammy Jacques, director of the Office of Student Engagement, said joining an RSO is a great way to get plugged into a group of people with similar interests.

“RSOs give students the ability to connect with their certain interests,” she said. “It gives students the opportunity to get involved in extracurricular activities.”

Freshman Forum is an RSO that gives freshmen on campus the opportunity to work together and plan campus-wide events.

Kelsey Varner joined the group her freshman year.

“I joined Freshmen Forum because it’s the perfect opportunity to get yourself out there and be a part of something big,” she said. “You get to meet new people and do fun things in the process.”

By going to una.orgsync.com/home, students can get information about every RSO on campus, broken down into categories so that students can more easily navigate based on their interests.

“If there’s one thing I could say to students, it would be to find the group that they fit in with and to get involved with that group as much as possible,” said sophomore Ashlyn Brown. “There isn’t a better feeling than to have a family away from home. You get to meet so many people not just from UNA, but from the community as well.”

Joining an RSO not only helps students meet new people and become involved, but it is also a good resume builder, Jacques said.

“I tell students to get involved in their academic organization so that they can get the opportunity to network with other students in their major,” she said. “It’s a good networking opportunity because a lot of them go to conferences and do professional development for their major.”

Most RSOs welcome new members at any time during the year.

Incoming students have opportunities to learn more about RSOs during SOAR and Welcome Week, a week-long social event during the beginning of the semester.

For more information about the RSOs at UNA, visit the Office of Student Engagement in room 117 in the GUC or visit them online.