Photo by Adam Cvik.
BRITTANY BLUTHARDT | NEWS REPORTER | bbluthar@butler.edu
Student organizations, both old and new, participated in Butler University’s Winter Block Party on Jan. 23 to encourage student involvement on campus.
Students gathered in the Reilly Room to learn about upcoming events, on-campus organizations and ways to get involved. Groups represented many areas across Butler’s campus, from Greek life to spring sports.
Student Government Association promoted their informational newsletter “The Carillon” that informs students on upcoming SGA events. Junior SGA member Sydney Enyeart said Block Party reintroduces students to volunteering and involvement at Butler.
“Block party in the winter is more about trying to pick up on students who may not have been involved as soon as they got on campus and are looking to further their involvement,” Enyeart said. “It is really helpful for clubs that are finding themselves not having enough members this semester.”
Students wandered the Reilly Room, scanning tables and picking up free stickers, pencils and food. Tables covered in poster boards and flyers were lined in rows across the room.
First-year students Maddie Coules and Ally Balan attended Winter Block Party to learn more about clubs on campus. They also attended the block party held at the beginning of the year.
“This is a great opportunity to actually see clubs now that we’ve spent a semester here,” Coules said.
Coules and Balan said the first Block Party was overwhelming. It was held on the Atherton Mall during Welcome Week.
“I ended up being really involved in [Butler University Dance Marathon],” Balan said. “Now that it is over, I want to find something else to commit my time to.”
Religious organizations were also represented during Block Party. Young Life and Butler Catholic Community held booths. They both provide social environments for students interested in learning and practicing their faith.
Elizabeth Fecht, junior and Young Life member, said Block Party was beneficial when she changed majors as a sophomore.
“As a freshman it was overwhelming, but now I think it’s a good time to figure out if you want to take on another role,” Fecht said.
Block Party included Asian Enthusiastic Club and International Club that represented diversity and foreign cultures. Asian Enthusiastic Club is holding a Super Smash Brothers game night in the future. International Club collaborates with Diversity Ambassadors and plans events with international students at Butler. Diversity Ambassadors help with orientation for international and multicultural domestic students.
A few new clubs were present to share their ideas and recruit members. Dawgs for a Cure, new this year to campus, supports the awareness and research fund of mitochondrial disease. Sophomore Lilli Southern started the club in memory of her brother who died from the disease. They hold around two projects during the year to fund research for a cure.
“We are trying to get people to understand a little bit more about mitochondrial disease,” Southern said.
Real Estate Club is another new organization to campus this semester. Their goal is to educate students on renting apartments, signing house leases and understanding contracts. They look to bring speakers from large organizations to educate students. Sophomore Evan Lewis is the vice president of the club.
“Block Party is a good way to get more involved,” Lewis said. “It is an easy way to bring clubs from all over to have everyone look at them at once, rather than search for them on their own.”
The Butler App, the Health and Recreation Center, Health Occupations Students of America, CHAARG, American Pharmacist Association and Phi Delta Theta were a few of the other groups present at this year’s Winter Block Party.
