The Internet, over the last few years, has shrunk the world into a virtual world. With the advent of mobile phones and apps for almost everything, this already shrunken world has been reduced to the extent of accessing it with just the fingertips. Without necessitating travel and other such constraints, online student organizations have brought students together from around the world, disregarding geographical divides, languages, and practices of yore.
A Student Organization is a fun yet informative, imaginative, and innovative way of plugging into the latest and greatest that students of today and tomorrow will benefit from. These organizations help students enhance their skills, showcasing their talent, acquiring new knowledge, sharing possibilities, and bringing about all-around development – personally, academically, and professionally. There are several kinds of online student organizations; here are a few:
1. Academic & Education
Academic-oriented and education-related student organizations are most popular among the student fraternity. Across the United States, Colleges have and promote clubs and societies for students to join them, network, build connections, exchange ideas, and associate with like-minded people. For each field of study and almost every subject of interest, there are student bodies that commune, organize events, provide assistance, create opportunities and do much more for their members. Some examples of academic online student organizations are the University of Arizona’s Online Psych Club, Society for Advancement of Management, and Women in Technology International (WITI) Club.
Related to education and online college courses is another type of student organization, known as the ‘Honor Society’, which welcomes students with outstanding academic achievements in a particular subject or field of study. Being part of one such organization is a matter of prestige and adds zing to a student’s resume.
2. Social & Community
Social and Community based student organizations are peer groups that involve themselves largely with community support, social service, and civic activities. The objectives of such organizations can range from environmental sustainability, conserving wildlife, ending poverty, supporting ethnic groups, creating job opportunities to human rights activism. Memberships to Social and Community based Organizations offer students a chance to better the quality of human life while gaining experience and exposure to real-world situations and how to deal with them. They also create a deeper sense of humanity through volunteer work and disaster relief. A good example of a social club is Penn State University’s ‘The World Campus Sustainability Club’ that brings students together to help make the earth sustainable.
3. Recreation & Sports
The domain of recreation and sports is a vast one. All Universities, without exception, have some form of recreation club or athletic/sports club to promote camaraderie, leadership, sportsmanship, team spirit, and teamwork. Student-athletes who are part of such organizations can connect with athletes across the country, plan and participate in matches, enhance their skills, and further their interest in a particular sport. Additionally, hobby clubs bring students with similar interests, in say aeromodelling or trains, together. For example, shutterbugs unite online and share their photos with fellow enthusiasts while also organizing contests, workshops, and events. Overall, these organizations tend to promote health, fitness, wellbeing, and mental and emotional development. Dickinson College has a full-fledged online Sports Club that connects sports fans within the college and those from outside.
4. Cultural & Art
A close relative of recreational and sports organizations are cultural and art societies. Students fascinated with art, theater, poetry, film-making, dance, folklore, music, and more, can express themselves easier and better through organizations that have been created specifically for such purposes. History clubs and literary societies make it possible for students to engage and explore the world of facts, fiction, and unconventional knowledge, opening minds and widening horizons. Cultural organizations also bridge the gap between language, race, and ethnicity, by helping students from overseas cope with and understand different cultures, practices, and customs.
To understand the potential of an online art-oriented organization, one should visit Pulaski Tech’s Fine Arts Club, which aims to promote, educate and appreciate all avenues of the Fine Arts.
5. Student Government
Every University in the United States has its student government or council that works towards the welfare and interests of students. These organizations empower member-students to provide input when the school’s board makes important decisions and opines on policymaking that affects education. A Student government organization provides a platform from which to express one’s values and principles and be the voice and advocate for fellow students. Georgia College’s Student Government Association is a fine example of an organization that serves the campus community.
Virginia Tech offers in-depth virtual resources for Student Organizations that present an idea of what such organizations are all about. These are just some of the kinds of Online Student Organizations to be found. There are several more such as media and publishing organizations, political organizations, and even religious or spiritual organizations. All said and done, a student looking for something specific will almost always find a suitable organization, paving the way to a better, enriching, and well-balanced student life.
At Online Masters Colleges, we understand the value of virtual student organizations and their role during this pandemic, which has shut down many campuses around the country. To help ease the burden of searching for higher educational degrees, we have compiled the best online master’s degrees and programs that do not need GRE test score.
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