Story and Photos by Kathryn Anderson
Every year, ASNU hosts the You Belong Fair, an event where students set up booths to promote the clubs and organizations on campus. The event is designed for Northwest University students to learn more about and potentially become involved with different communities at NU. This year, there were 32 booths.
ASNU was present, encouraging students to join the student government and get involved. ASNU makes decisions about campus that affects the daily lives of members of the NU community. They also run events, including the You Belong Fair.
Other university organizations were represented alongside the student booths. One display was dedicated to the Wellness Center, a place for students to receive care for their physical and mental health needs. Students were encouraged to take advantage of the complementary services offered there, as well as enjoy the self-care room and meet Apricot the resident golden retriever.
Game-lovers congregated around the Board Game Club, Chess Club, and E-sports club. Each club welcomes every level of player and encouraged students to join their respective communities.
Some clubs focused on more active hobbies. The Tennis club allows people to take a break from their studies for exercise and fun and does not require any previous experience. Similarly, the new Swing Dance club also welcomes newcomers and encourages students to use dance as a means to connect with God.
“God dances!” said club representative David Nadler.
The Hip-hop club also made an appearance at the fair. Hip-hop club seeks to enrich the hip-hop culture already present on campus and to celebrate the art of the music, dance and artwork it embodies.
There were plenty of opportunities to join groups that give back to the community. Hands to Outreach (H20) is one such group: serving locally in Kirkland. The group focuses on causes that students care about. Another group, Embargo, serves locally as well. Embargo also partners with International Justice Mission (IJM) and aims to bring justice to those who are abused through human trafficking.
Other clubs focused on appreciating the various cultures represented at Northwest. Black Student Fellowship (BSF) celebrates African American culture on campus, hosts speakers, and facilitates powerful conversations. The International Students Club aims to bridge the gap between international and local students with fun events like Ramen Night. Additionally, MOSAIC aims to make everyone from every culture feel represented.
“It’s not just ethnic culture,” MOSAIC representative Natasha Vederoff said, encouraging all students to come to MOSAIC events.
Common among every club at the fair, particularly these cultural groups, was the openness with which they approached students. At NU, everyone is welcome.
