ENMU involved
Office of Student Activities and Organizations helps students find their niche
By: Jonathan Miller
Issue date: 9/28/09 Section: News
Attending college at Eastern New Mexico University has its rewards. A beautiful campus, affordable tuition, hands-on instruction and a variety of degrees and programs are all attractive contributing factors in the school's high attendance rate this fall. What may not seem so apparent however is the vastly diverse nature of its student body.
Eastern's enrollment consists of students from 40 different states and 20 countries, and as with any varied group of people, so comes an assortment of interests and hobbies. There are 31-student organizations help represent the variety in ENMU's campus culture.
Ranging from academic to religious to ethnic and even to mixed martial arts, there is an array of student organizations and clubs that quench students' thirst for extra-curricular activity.
Nevertheless, there is a good deal of work and planning that goes into starting and maintaining those groups, and the process begins with one woman: Tracy Henderson.
Henderson, the Director of Student Activities and Organizations (SAO), plays an integral role in helping student groups not only get off the ground, but also maintain efficiency and protocol once they do.
"We make it as clear cut as possible," Henderson said. Part of her job is informing and aiding students on the steps necessary to become a recognized organization and giving them the resources and guidance they need to be continually successful. She meets with every organization once a month to assist them in regard to guidelines and rule compliance, and even aids with matters such as fundraising and community service, both things the entire area can benefit from.
"Our goal is to have 75 community service projects within this year for the honor of our (ENMU's) 75th anniversary," Henderson said.
While she does a great deal too personally help ensure the success of ENMU students, Henderson has also employed another tactic. "We're trying to build a library," she said.
Eastern's enrollment consists of students from 40 different states and 20 countries, and as with any varied group of people, so comes an assortment of interests and hobbies. There are 31-student organizations help represent the variety in ENMU's campus culture.
Ranging from academic to religious to ethnic and even to mixed martial arts, there is an array of student organizations and clubs that quench students' thirst for extra-curricular activity.
Nevertheless, there is a good deal of work and planning that goes into starting and maintaining those groups, and the process begins with one woman: Tracy Henderson.
Henderson, the Director of Student Activities and Organizations (SAO), plays an integral role in helping student groups not only get off the ground, but also maintain efficiency and protocol once they do.
"We make it as clear cut as possible," Henderson said. Part of her job is informing and aiding students on the steps necessary to become a recognized organization and giving them the resources and guidance they need to be continually successful. She meets with every organization once a month to assist them in regard to guidelines and rule compliance, and even aids with matters such as fundraising and community service, both things the entire area can benefit from.
"Our goal is to have 75 community service projects within this year for the honor of our (ENMU's) 75th anniversary," Henderson said.
While she does a great deal too personally help ensure the success of ENMU students, Henderson has also employed another tactic. "We're trying to build a library," she said.