Getting Involved on Campus Is Time Well Spent

What if the best part of college didn’t happen in a classroom? With classes starting next week, now is the time for students to consider the benefits of getting involved in campus events and activities. Whether you’re taking one class or have a full class load ahead of you, it’s important to make time for activities outside the classroom. Benefits of getting involved are many, including gaining a sense of belonging, connecting with new people, learning life skills, and something not often mentioned: being perceived as more hireable.

You Belong Here

When you engage in campus events and activities, it’s natural to develop a sense of belonging or feeling more like a part of our college community. Getting involved will make it less likely you’ll feel isolated or left out of college life. It also enhances your Lakeshore College journey by exposing you to new perspectives and knowledge that complement your classroom learning.

We want you to feel like you belong here, because you do. And we have so many opportunities for you to get involved. We are sure you can find something that meets your interests.

“I enjoy attending business related events like the etiquette luncheon. I feel that what I learn in events like this is important to all students because it provides some important information and ways to interact in areas we may experience in our future. … Since attending my first etiquette luncheon, I have had several opportunities to use what I learned.”

—Student Activity Feedback

Events, Activities, Clubs, and More

Lakeshore College offers you an extensive variety of opportunities to get involved:

• Informal hangout days—a simple, casual way to get involved (usually with free refreshments!)
• Learn, Lead, Succeed conferences
• Time management workshops
• TRIO Student Support Services (for students who are first-generation, lower income, or disabled)
• Student clubs including Culinary Arts, Paralegal Student Association, Auto Maintenance, Business Professionals of America, Phi Theta Kappa and many more

Learn about these and more by connecting with your Academic Counselor.

A huge advantage of attending Lakeshore College compared to larger colleges is you can get involved in leadership positions right from the start of your college career. These opportunities can play a significant role in your personal development and career preparation. Being involved at a high level, such as taking on the role of a club president, helps you build confidence and organizational skills. You also develop a sense of accomplishment. All these attributes can contribute to your success in college and after.

"Getting involved in organizations has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in college. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone, helped me build confidence & has made college feel whole. I think every student can benefit from finding their place in campus activities."

—Kendra Klein, Phi Theta Kappa President, Paralegal Student Association President, and Wisconsin Student Government President

If you have less time for extracurricular activities, we still encourage you to get involved, though perhaps at a more minimal level. Joining a club or attending events such as financial literacy or wellness workshops, or going to a movie or sporting event with a group of students, can help you learn valuable life skills and connect with others.

“Be as involved as you can be to the point where it’s not stressful. The more involved that I was, the more confidence I gained and the more I learned.”

—Kyle Blaha, 2024-25 Wisconsin Technical College System Student Ambassador, TRIO Member

“I would say the first generation student celebration has been the most influential, as it brought light to the fact that it is special to be the first one in your family to go to college. My favorite part was when the panelists opened up to us and shared the various struggles and setbacks that they had gone through, yet were still sitting right up there on that stage. Talk about inspirational!”

—Student Activity Feedback

Working on Campus

One often overlooked opportunity to get involved is getting a job on campus. This gives you the opportunity to not only earn a paycheck, but also get to know campus faculty and staff while gaining work experience that could be in your field. You’ll also have the chance to learn the inner workings of higher ed and start building relationships that can pave the way to valuable networking opportunities.

Lakeshore’s available student jobs vary and can include helping at the technology help desk or child care center, on the campus security or facilities team, or in a clinical skills lab. Academic peer mentor and peer tutor jobs and others may also be available. Some, but not all of these, are federal work study jobs so check into what might work for you.

Become More Familiar with Resources

Getting engaged in activities also helps you become more familiar with academic and personal resources that can enhance your Lakeshore experience. It’s easy to forget you heard about access to tutoring, mental health counseling, multicultural services, child care, and free food, clothing and personal care items during orientation. Hearing students share their experiences can remind you how valuable those resources are in a more relatable manner.

“If I could mentor an incoming Lakeshore student, I would advise them to fully engage with all the resources and opportunities available to them. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I can offer is to take advantage of the financial literacy activities, as they can significantly improve your ability to manage your finances, which is crucial during college and beyond.”

—Student Activity Feedback

Be Seen as More Hireable

A study done by The Ohio State University’s Center for the Study of Student Life shows involvement is directly linked to career outcomes. This could be especially important if you’re switching careers or will be new to the workforce in your chosen field.

The study’s research team developed resumes portraying undergraduate students with varying levels of involvement. Resumes were randomly shown to a wide range of organizations who were asked to rate the fake students on career readiness and hireability. Results showed:

“Employers rated the students who were at least minimally-involved as significantly more hireable than those who were not involved at all. Employers also rated highly-involved students as significantly more career ready than uninvolved or minimally-involved students.

“These findings imply that any type of co-curricular involvement in college is beneficial to students’ career aspirations, and that a deeper level of involvement is noticed and rewarded by employers."

Where to Start? The Student Resource Carnival Sept. 3

Lakeshore College students are encouraged to visit our Cleveland campus Wednesday, Sept. 3, anytime between 11 am-1:30 pm, and attend our Student Resource Carnival. There will be activity booths, food trucks, music, and giveaways outside the Nierode building (on the west side of our big bridge). Booths will offer games and details about student clubs, upcoming campus activities and events, academic and personal resources, and more. Students who visit at least six booths will be given a free lunch voucher.

If you have questions about getting involved before or after the carnival, we encourage you to connect with your Academic Counselor.