Although it can be easy to just come to campus for class or meetings or to stay in your office the whole time, getting involved is a great way to break out of your normal routine, meet new people, and support the university and its students. Rice offers a ton of opportunities for involvement, so there is definitely something (or multiple things) for everyone! You can also engage as much or as little as you want, from occasionally attending meetings to being on a leadership team. This blog post includes some things to consider when you are deciding how to get involved on campus.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- What do you enjoy?
- We all have limited time, especially as grad students. Therefore, it is important to consider what things deserve your extra time to make sure you don’t overexert yourself. What things do you like to do in your free time? This could be anything from sports to cultural events to outdoor activities, and Rice probably has a specific club for all of those things. Many organizations plan a mix of fun activities and student/campus support, allowing you to have fun with your peers and learn about important resources both on and off campus. Also consider what on-campus activities you enjoy, such as Valhalloween or trivia events. You might want to join the groups that help plan your favorite activities so you can assist with organizing them.
- How much time can you dedicate?
- To fit with your busy schedule that likely varies by term or even day-to-day, how much time can you dedicate to external activities? Do you want something that meets once a week or a few times a semester? Your possibilities for time commitment may impact what clubs/activities you decide to join as well as the position you want to fill in those groups, from leadership to participation.
Rice has more clubs and organizations than you might realize, so you will likely be able to find something you find interesting. For clubs to join, check out https://owlnest.rice.edu/organizations, and filter by ‘graduate student organizations.’ Some ideas for on-campus engagement include:
- Affinity/cultural groups provide great ways to connect with people from similar backgrounds who can share their experiences with you that might be similar, and are especially helpful if you are a member of a group that is underrepresented in academia. Consider groups like the Black Grad Student Association (BGSA), Latinx Grads, Queer Grad Student Association (QGSA), etc.
- Support your department through roles such as graduate representative, professional development coordinator, etc.
- Join the Grad Student Association (GSA) or your school/department’s GSA
- Resource centers offer positions for students. These induce the Center for Academic and Professional Communication (CAPC), Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), and Humanities Research Center (HRC), among others.
- Rice has several academic journals, and might even be closely connected to your department to provide a bridge to your involvement.
- Consider the on-campus jobs that you had as a first year in which you want to stay involved. I worked at the Journal of Southern History as my service assignment, and I stayed in this position my first and second summers in addition to my four semesters of service! Some other positions you may want to explore include jobs at the library, rec center, and in student housing.
- Club sports and workout classes.
- This is of course not an exhaustive list. You can also ask your friends what things they are involved in on campus to determine if any of those positions spark your interest.
Other Tips:
- Some opportunities are more social, while others can provide you with relevant experience and, sometimes, some extra money. Keep payment in mind when considering involvement while remembering that working towards your degree is your #1 job!
- Reach out!
- Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself - emailing the leadership of certain clubs and organizations and asking how you can get involved is a great way to get connected
- Want a specific club but can’t find it? Start it yourself!
About the Author:
Morgan Bettin-Coleman is a history Ph.D. candidate. She is currently working on her dissertation that explores African American perspectives of Native American identities in the nineteenth-century United States.
Further Reading:
Grad School Isn’t Just School: Finding Life Outside the Lab at Rice
My Favorite Rice Alumni-Founded Businesses
A Temple of Thought: Exploring Duncan Hall at Rice University