Student clubs are not merely small communities of people with common interests but they also serve as a platform for students to thrive.
An extensive body of academic evidence has showcased that active involvement in student clubs and organizations impacts the social and psychological development of university students. Particularly, learners who are members of student clubs or organizations score relatively higher on factors encompassing educational involvement, career planning, cultural participation and academic autonomy.
The AUA Student Affairs is committed to creating many opportunities for student-led initiatives, allowing students to grow holistically, expand leadership skills and evolve as civically active individuals. One of the most vivid instances encouraging active student involvement at AUA encompasses the student club initiative. This is an interactive venue for students to participate in activities they are passionate about outside of academics.
Mayis Jraghatspanyan, BAB junior, the founder of AUA’s Cubing Club, emphasizes student clubs as platforms fueling the momentum of student-led initiatives. “When you have a club at AUA, it is a great opportunity to organize an event as a part of your club and AUA can help you with all of that process,” he says. The student clubs are designed to bring together students sharing common interests, build networking opportunities, assist students to interactively engage in a group of people and work in teams.
Apart from the critical aspect of student clubs offering entertaining and lively experiences for students to build connections, learn from each other and share experiences, they also heavily contribute to developing interpersonal skills such as critical thinking, social responsibility and engagement of meaningful discourse revolving around social issues.
For instance, the board of the Debate Club at AUA highlights its mission to advance critical thinking and logical coherence among students, providing them with the opportunity to demonstrate cognitive skills, sharpen confidence in voicing their concerns, along with fostering open-mindedness toward divergent opinions. Sona Avetisyan, BAB senior, the current leader of the Debate Club, mentions, “I believe that team building and the way that we express ourselves through sharing our opinions is a way to develop civil responsibility.” She highlights the role of the Debate Club in cultivating social responsibility among the students by elaborating, “Once you work together with other students and are able to perceive their opinions, you are a one-step forward to development and being responsible not just for yourself but for others, too.”
Culturally institutionalized problems are also discussed within the scope of the World of Culture Club at AUA, which has been designed to bring together students from various backgrounds, including international, local, and students from the diaspora, promoting cultural understanding and engaging in meaningful discourse revolving around cultural problems prevailing within the society, as indicated by the club leader Seda Grigoryan, EC junior.
Despite the opportunities, the AUA student clubs face a lack of interest to be part of the student club initiative. To foster more activism among the students, outreach, advocacy, and awareness-raising efforts regarding the role of the student clubs and the impactful contribution they make can be promoted to ensure students are informed about this opportunity. More collaboration between student clubs at AUA can also produce promising results in ensuring more student engagement among university students.
Student clubs at AUA offer a dynamic and interactive learning environment where students can share knowledge and experience, collaborate and foster student-led initiatives. Thus, every student is highly welcomed and encouraged to be part of or initiate a student club they are enthusiastic about.
