On Wednesday, August 28, Valencia College’s East Campus came alive with the club fair, an event designed to connect students with various student organizations and foster engagement and a sense of community as the new semester begins.

This event, held every semester, brought together Valencia College clubs and organizations and to showcase what East Campus has to offer students.

Yary Colon, treasurer of the LEDP Collective (Live Entertainment Design and Production) club and Audio Visual Technology student, emphasized the value of students exploring and engaging. “I think it’s really important to let students have a visual of what is around them and meet people that have the same likenesses as them. They can make new friends,” Colon said.

Students took advantage of this event not only by joining clubs, but also by discovering their passions. Mathew Bade, Cloud Computing student and officer of Valencia Tech Club, said that clubs give students a chance to go beyond the classroom and find talents that they may not have known existed.

Computer Science student, Jude Ford, 18, agreed.  Ford said, “When I join a club, I expect to form good bonds, great connections with people, and participate in fun activities.”

According to AdmissionSight, an organization which guides students through the college admissions process, “College clubs are not just social gatherings or extracurricular activities. They play a crucial role in the overall development of students. These clubs typically revolve around shared interests, hobbies, or academic disciplines.”  AdmissionSight also believes students can find a sense of belonging and camaraderie by joining a club.

Nathaly Muñoz, International Student Services advisor and BASBOL (Bachelor of Applied Science in Business and Organizational Leadership) student, highlighted the importance of clubs in helping students, especially those far from home, acclimate to college life.

“I really encourage students to come and be part of a club on campus. It will help the culture shock and the change from being home with your family to having not many people around you,” Muñoz advised. She added, “The more students participate in campus activities, the better their experience will be.”

Alfredo Montenegro, president of the VISA Club (Valencia Intercultural Student Association) stated that events like the club fair are crucial for combating the stigma that community colleges lack student life. “Club fairs bring awareness to our rich club culture and help students make meaningful connections,” he said.

A living testimony of the club’s impact on students’ lives is Teddy Yapi, an East Campus orientation leader and Finance student, who recounted his own club experience.

“When I first came here, I was an international student, so being part of the clubs helped me to build friendships and was very helpful to me,” Yapi explained.

His experience underscores how student organizations can ease the transition for newcomers to the college environment.

As the new semester begins, the message from the Valencia College club fair is clear: joining a club is more than just a way to fill time, it is an opportunity to create a community, make lifelong friendships, and enhance your time as a college student.