Getting Involved at DSU
Important benefits of the DSU experience are students’ opportunities to branch out, meet new people, and find new, exciting hobbies and activities. Getting involved on campus can help make your time in college more memorable, but, sometimes, pushing yourself to try new things can be overwhelming. It can be hard to find groups and activities that are a good fit for you, which is why it’s helpful to learn about some of the many clubs on campus that were made to keep students, just like you, engaged and involved! If you are someone who wants to find new opportunities and groups to be a part of at DSU, keep on reading.
Tennis Club: Anyone who enjoys being active or has a competitive nature should check out the Tennis Club. They meet every Wednesday at 7pm at Madison High School tennis courts (just west of the high school) as long as the weather is nice, and the courts are clear. Members spend their time together learning about tennis and competing against each other. The club is looking to expand this fall and try to enter a state tennis league so they can have matches against other schools in South Dakota. If this club catches your attention, please talk to advisor Ryan Morganti who says, “If anyone is interested, we would love to have you there. Even if you’re a complete beginner, we are happy to teach you and to provide rackets for you to play with.” The Tennis Club is a great place to both showcase your tennis skills and learn how to play this fun sport.
Space Club: The Space Club took this past school year off, but they are looking to restarting meetings in the Fall 2021 semester. Usually, they plan for 6 astronomy events called “star parties” during the academic year, but some of these will be cancelled due to weather issues. The Space Club also provides other opportunities in the areas of rocketry, astronomy, and space-related social activities. Past club activities include building and launching ESTES Model rockets along with mid and high-power rockets under the supervision of their advisor, Dr. Maloney. He has a level 1 High Power Rocketry certification and is glad to help anyone interested in building their own rockets. Members also host space-themed movie nights and social events, such as bringing in guest speakers, around 3-4 times per semester.
Dr. Maloney and the members of the Space Club would be excited for you to join even if you don’t have any previous knowledge of astronomy or experience with rocketry. Dr. Maloney encourages everyone interested to get involved and states, “Anyone is welcome to join us whether they just like coming to see movies or want to build a big rocket. This club can be a lot of fun!”
Photography Club: If you like taking pictures or are looking for a new, creative hobby, the Photography Club might be the perfect fit for you! Their most recent project was done in collaboration with the Madison Regional Health Foundation, taking headshots for 280 MRHS staff members. Two senior students from the club used the photo sessions to teach younger members how to set up lighting and camera angles for taking professional headshot photos. If you want to learn more about this club and its upcoming activities, reach out to Professor Thomas Jones who would be more than happy to exchange information with you. These are just a few of the many clubs offered on campus. If any of them catch your eye, don’t be afraid to contact the advisors mentioned above for more information about their clubs. If none of these three clubs interest you, don’t be discouraged. There is a whole list of exciting clubs that would be thrilled to have you join. You can find this list on the Dakota State University Website under the category of “Student Life.”
