With Club Fair just around the corner on Sept. 21, the Fourcast offers some advice on how to approach running your clubs successfully.

1. To succeed, you need to have a clear goal that you and your fellow club members aim to fulfill.

Neuroscience Club President Heather Xiao also recommends that students who are trying to think of topics for clubs think about their mission before any other step.

“I think [students] should choose a topic that they are passionate about and then see if they can come up with a club from whatever [that is],” Xiao said. “So, say I’m passionate about trying to fix the gender balance in STEM, then I would think … ‘Oh! Maybe I can introduce [the all-girls school] to a new science topic.”

2. After you perfect your club mission, you have to sell your club to fellow students at Club Fair. Colorful signs, interesting meeting topic examples, and, of course, lots of food always help, but also remember to be confident!

“The biggest thing is to have confidence because when I was a Freshman and I started Neuroscience club I was so scared, but definitely be confident and don’t be afraid to wave your poster around,” Xiao said.

3. Although you may have won over some sign-ups with your awesome display at club fair and delicious food, it’s important that you keep them coming back long after the first meeting.

“I think the most important thing in keeping interest is finding new topics and keeping up with what’s coming out in the news lately, so for Neuroscience club we talk about varying topics like optical illusions or how the nerves work,” Xiao said. We keep up with different case studies and new research that is changing the face of science [so] people will keep wanting to come back.”

4. Throughout the year, find ways for everyone in the club to engage in progressing your mission, that way everyone is actively helping with achieving your goal.

‘For Neuroscience Club we did Brain Bee, so that was a way that girls and boys, but more so girls, could participate in learning about the brain and then showing off their knowledge,” Xiao said. “That was a tangible way that members could fulfill the club mission.”

5. Lastly, and most importantly, have fun! Clubs are extracurricular, so enjoy the experience.

Lastly, and most importantly, have fun! Clubs are extracurricular, so enjoy the experience.

-Megan Philips