AUSA Hosts First-Ever Club Summit

Working together to facilitate community

Student leaders gathered earlier this month to discuss ideas for fostering even greater community and cultural appreciation in campus clubs.

On Sunday, Oct. 1, Andrews University Student Association (AUSA) officers hosted the first-ever Andrews University Club Summit. The Summit was created and launched as a practical application of the leadership team’s vision to increase interpersonal student engagement on the campus.

“As an AUSA team, one of our goals is to facilitate student connections and to build community amongst our diverse student body,” says Jessica Yoong, AUSA president. “The purpose of the AUSA Club Summit is to provide an opportunity for the leaders of our many cultural and departmental clubs on campus to meet each other, discuss ideas, share concerns and facilitate collaborations between clubs.”

Yoong and Rebecca Puii, student services director, were inspired to do the Summit after Jessica attended the annual Adventist Intercollegiate Association (AIA) meetings of the student government officers from all Adventist universities and colleges in the North American Division. The two brainstormed how something similar could happen on the Andrews campus.

“Rebecca served as the AUSA champion for organizing and coordinating the club leaders, program and logistics for the Summit,” Yoong explains. “During this first session, club leaders were given the opportunity to introduce themselves and to speak briefly about what their club strives to achieve.”

Michael Nixon, University vice president for diversity & inclusion, shared some thoughts with the group and expressed his desire to be involved in the various campus club events. The group gathered feedback on how something like the Club Summit could provide the most value to club leaders as they discussed several upcoming events designed to include all clubs.

“This year, we have refocused our AUSA student services director position to serve as the student liaison to the VP for diversity and inclusion and as an impartial coordinator who works with the leaders of our 50+ student clubs on campus,” says Yoong.

Puii has been hard at work planning for the next official club-collaborative event: A Night Market that features food sold by departmental and cultural clubs, artistic projects sold by various student artists and live music performances.

“In order for students to take full advantage of our unique position as #1 in ethnic diversity in the country*, Yoong states, “students must interact and build relationships with those who are outside their own departmental or cultural groups. The Club Summit provides an incredible opportunity for student leaders—and therefore the rest of the student body at large—of all scholastic and cultural backgrounds to connect and collaborate with one another.”

To stay up-to-date with AUSA events and opportunities, follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/weareausa) and Instagram (@weareausa).

*U.S. News & World Report 2018 Best Colleges