Oftentimes, students may want to become more involved on Chapman’s campus but might not know where to start or what clubs and organizations would be a good fit for them. That’s where the university’s Department of Student Engagement comes in.

The department offers resources to Chapman students looking to get more involved on campus. In an effort to help do so, the organization has been posting flyers around campus, informing students of how they can meet with an involvement coach. 

This program has been available to students since the fall 2020 semester and takes place every semester. 

Sophia Fisher is a first-year graduate student in communication sciences and disorders and is currently the graduate assistant for Student Involvement, which is a part of Student Engagement. As part of her role, she oversees the team of undergraduate student coaches by matching them up with students who reach out requesting a meeting.

“From a graduate perspective, involvement on campus encourages socialization and opportunities for personal and professional growth,” Fisher said. “Joining organizations with peers who have similar interests is a great way to make friends and meet new people.”

Students can request to meet with a coach either through the form on their website or by email at cuinvolved@chapman.edu. The student will then be contacted by their connected coach to schedule a time to meet.

Mackenzie Ferrell is a senior strategic and corporate communication major who has been a coach for the last two years. She explained the kind of student she recommends to meet with an involvement coach.

“I would recommend that any student who wants to expand their involvement meets with a peer coach,” Ferrell said. “Whether you are a first-semester freshman or a last-semester senior, it is genuinely never too late to get involved. If you are overwhelmed by how many options on campus there are, meeting with a peer coach helps to narrow that down.”

When a student meets with a coach, they meet in Argyros Forum (AF) 303 or on the third-floor patio in AF. The coach will then go over the list of clubs and organizations on campus that they believe the student might be interested in based on the student’s responses for the form. In addition, the coach will go over how to contact the groups and get involved with them. 

The Department of Student Life, which is the overall department that Student Engagement is in, also has an Instagram account, which helps spread the word about different events and clubs that students can attend to get more involved on campus. In addition, there are involvement fairs held at the beginning of each semester that highlight the various clubs and organizations within the university.

Department of Student Engagement program specialist Kayla Wiechert oversees the coaching effort. She commented on the importance of this program, as well as how students can take steps on their own to get more involved.

“Chapman offers a lot of opportunities, and students do need to take responsibility for asking for help and using the resources provided,” Wiechert told The Panther. “We can give you a list of things to do, but then you need to do them!”