College is a great place to explore new opportunities and see what activities might interest you through clubs and extracurricular organizations. If you aren't able to find a group that suits you or you have a passion that is not represented, follow these steps to take the initiative to start your own club!
Planning Period
While you may want to get your club up and running immediately, there are some important things to do to ensure that your club can succeed before you sign members up.
- Write Your Why - Write down your "why" on a piece of paper or on your phone so you can remember the reason you wanted to create a club. If you ever need a pick-me-up or a source of inspiration, go back to that statement for a refresher!
- Find an Advisor - Choose a faculty or staff member on campus who can be a good resource and mentor for your club by helping you with any advice along the way.
- Sign Up with Student Life - Schedule a meeting with your on-campus office responsible for student functions to start the process of forming your club. This way, your club can be recognized as an official college organization and you can get special access to campus resources.
- Fill Out Forms - Make your club official by submitting all the required forms to the appropriate office so you can get started with organizing a fantastic club.
- Build a Budget - Organize your funds and create a guideline for how you are going to allocate the money in your club. Make sure to account for revenues like member dues and expenses like event costs, food and equipment. Genius Tip: Take a look at these unique fundraiser ideas for college groups for great ways to bring in new funding for your club.
