James Redmond

News Reporter

With the fall semester in full swing at Mesa State College, there are many school supported options other than classes to join. Mesa State supports over 80 different clubs and organizations. Many of these clubs are up and running for the year.

Among them are athletic, religious, academic, professional, cultural, social and recreational clubs. These clubs offer different opportunities, meet new people and discover new hobbies or pursue old interests.

Sophomore Megan Koepke is an officer in the Mesa Citadel Gamers, a social/recreational club on campus, promoting, supporting and playing different table top games.

Koepke said one of the things she likes most about being in the club is the interactions with different people. “These are people that I would normally walk by on campus and not even say a word to. Then I come here and we have something in common to talk about,” she said. 

The Citadel Gamers involve themselves in games like Warhammer, Magic the Gathering and Warmachine/Hordes. The club has already held its first meeting. With over a dozen members, the Citadel Gamers hold their weekly meetings on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the ACB building, room 212. 

Although the games can be competitive, the club meetings are very socially oriented. Meetings are a time for friends catching up and plans being made. That’s a big part of what the club is about.

“I came across a lot more friends and met a lot of new people,” said club Vice President Nick Lapka, a junior. 

Lapka encouraged students to come by and see what the club is about. He said that club members are happy to answer any questions.

Other Mesa State organizations like the Sustainability Council have also started their weekly meetings. The Sustainability Council, which meets every Friday at 11 a.m. in the common area on the first floor of the ACB, is not a hobby club like the Citadel Gamers. It is a small group of students dedicated to making sustainable changes around campus like recycling. All of the small green recycling bins in the residence halls and campus buildings are placed by the Sustainability Council.

“The club’s always been pretty small. There are only a few people who come to the meetings, but everyone’s super passionate, so it’s quality, not quantity,” said council president Kayla Luhrs.

While the club may be small, it hasn’t stopped them from making an impact around campus. “We got little recycle bins for every single dorm room on campus. One of the RAs said ‘Kayla this is so cool. You’ve actually made something happen,’” said Luhrs.

Advisor, Chad Thatcher encourages anyone interested to come to the council’s meetings. 

“The more people we have, the more we can do. Everyone always says, ‘What can I do?’ or ‘I’m only one person.’ Well you may be one person that can be part of this movement,” said Thatcher. “We create that platform for you to actually make change.”

The Animesa club meets every Friday in room 141 in Wubben Hall and Science Center at 7 p.m. “It’s sometimes hard to find other anime-loving people around town so this is a nice place to meet, hang out, and have fun,” said Dylan Balunt, a sophomore history major and club president. 

Balunt said that the club is looking at doing more than just Anime. 

“I’d like to really see us grow. I want to see us branch out and see us do more than just hang around and watch anime. We’ve tried in the past doing video game tournaments. I’d like to see more of that,” said Balunt.

Balunt said he would like anyone with a passing interest in anime to stop by a meeting and see that they’re about.

“We may seem a little strange,” said Balunt. “But we don’t bite, I promise.”

For a complete list of clubs on campus, visit www.mesastate.edu/studentlife/orgs

 

jredmond@mesastate.edu