PVCC Puma Press: December 2006

Whether you are interested in sports, art, writing, the environment or politics, PVCC has many clubs and activities that will help you get involved and enjoy your college experience more.

Heather Kruse, the Director of Student Life and Leadership at PVCC, specializes in helping students gain the confidence and abilities to play a more active role in school.

“Some students suffer from what we (faculty in the Student Life Center) call the class-to-car syndrome,” says Kruse. This means that many students today only go from their classes to their cars and back home.

Kruse says that one of the reasons for this “syndrome” is that some students feel that joining a club, activity or sports team will consume too much time and they will not be able to get involved as much as the group wants. This is untrue, according to Kruse. In fact, most clubs only meet a few times a month. If students can only attend a few of the meetings due to their schedules, their involvement still makes a difference.

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	Involvement 'can build important skills for leadership'
	—Heather Kruse Dir. Student Life , Leadership
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Currently there are nearly 30 active clubs on campus that range from studies in anthropology to the Young Democrats, one of the newest clubs on campus. Students who may not be interested in joining a club can try out for one of PVCC's many athletic programs. PVCC offers soccer, tennis, softball and men and women’s golf. Kruse says that the school is also trying to obtain the necessary funds to build up a baseball team within the next few years.
vPaul Dale, the Vice President of student affairs at PVCC, says that students who are involved with athletics “have higher rates of persistence than the general student population—mostly attributed to the high levels of connection these athletes feel towards the college through coaches and faculty involved in our academic success program.”

Some students might wonder what is in it for them to get involved and what involvement will do to enrich their college experience?

Kruse says that by getting involved, “you can build important skills for leadership and have a lot of fun.” Kruse also says that by actively participating, students can “build a support network on campus and build relationships, gain friendships and learn valuable goals.”

Clubs and activities can also help students gain information about scholarship opportunities. Kruse said that when applying for a job later on in life, employers look at what makes each person different from everyone else. Being involved with school activities can improve a job seeker’s chances for success and can make a lasting impact with the interviewer.
vThe Peak Leadership Institute at PVCC is a foundation created by Cindy Shoenhair and other faculty members who wanted to help students gain the necessary skills to increase confidence in themselves and become better leaders. The program offers a certificate in leadership. The curriculum consists of several classes that give students the opportunity to be involved and help others.

For students who do not have very much extra time available, the Emerging Leaders Program meets only five times per semester. “This program will help you learn about your strengths as a person and help you connect with fellow students and faculty,” says Kruse.

If students would like to build a new club for the school and have an idea or two, they can bring their ideas to the Student Life Center in the KSC building for consideration.