Student organizations can apply for the Common Experience Event Grant, which will award $250 to three to four organizations.
Guest speaker Myrna Garza, coordinator for First Year Experience, spoke about the Common Experience Event Grant at the Monthly Student Org Leader meeting April 28.
To be eligible for the grant, organization leaders must create a pitch for an event related to the 2023-2024 Common Read, “You’re Not Listening” by Kate Murphy, as well as the theme “Listening to Grow. Growing to Belong. Belonging to Empower Each Other.”
Garza said all organizations must submit their proposal by 5 p.m. June 23. Proposal submission can be placed here on JagSync. Final decisions on winners will be published 5 p.m. July 10. Leaders may reach out to Garza about the grant at myrna.garza@tamusa.edu.
Student Organizations discuss upcoming semester
Student organization leaders discussed May and fall 2023 save-the-dates, deadlines and re-registration steps at their last meeting of the spring semester.
Cristina Dominguez, assistant director of Student Life, led the meeting and said all organizations must re-enroll every school year in order to be recognized.
Leaders and at least three representatives must attend two Student Organization Leadership Development days.
At the development days, leaders must attend three training sessions: JagSync training, Risk Management training and Jaguar Student Organization training.
Fundraising and Finance training will also be offered; however, it is not mandatory to attend.
Organization leaders may also tentatively submit an event request prior to re-registration. However, it is not guaranteed such events will be approved.
The Monthly Student Org Leader meetings allow leaders to remain knowledgeable about what is happening on campus, so they can share that information with their organization members.
“I’m like the liaison to the student orgs from the administration to make sure that they have all the knowledge that they need to be successful,” Dominguez said.
During the meetings, leaders can receive assistance from Dominguez.
“There is a lot of one-on-one reaction,” said MaryAnn Cumpian, secretary of the student chapter of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. “That hour is dedicated to us.”
The meetings also allow student organizations to become acquainted and collaborate.
Among the attendees was Brandan Salazar, communications junior and president of the Coalition.
Trying to make the most out of his college experience, Salazar is a part of four organizations.
“These meetings have helped me out a lot with some of the big events coming up and some of the volunteer opportunities that the Coalition can take part in,” Salazar said.
Yanellie Chapa, political science senior, represented two organizations, CAB and Sigma Delta Lambda Sorority, Inc.
“It gives you different life skills and different experiences that you could literally use in any position,” Chapa said. “You don’t even have to be a student organization leader to attend these meetings.”
Richard Villarreal, business administration graduate student, represented the Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Campus Activities Board and the American Marketing Association.
“Anyone can start an organization,” said Villarreal.
Students looking to start their own organization will need to fill out a form on JagSync. Once the Student Involvement Office has reviewed and approved the application, leaders must attend training days, said Villarreal.
For more information on starting an organization, students can contact Student Involvement at 210-784-1329 or fill out this form on JagSync.
For more information about the Monthly Student Org meeting, email Cristina Dominguez at Cristina.Dominguez@tamusa.edu or call 210-784-1388. For more information about the organizations mentioned, visit JagSync.
