By: Rashida Powankumar
We have been bringing you profiles of Clubs at the CCSAI all year.
We wanted to find out more from the people that run the clubs what it takes and what students can get out of the service. We spoke to Randine Fogarthy, outgoing club liaison, and Loise Gahol, CCSAI engagement coordinator, to find out more about Clubs through the CCSAI.
Q: What type of experiences and activities do the clubs bring?
LG: Clubs give students the opportunity to develop their skills and experiences. For those who are club executives, they get an opportunity to hone in on their communication skills, event planning and management skills, and their leadership skills. Clubs themselves give students opportunities to build their networks, both personally and professionally. For example, academic/program-based clubs give students opportunities to network with industry professionals.
RF: Clubs allow students to find their family at Centennial College.
Q: What is the process to get involved and get started?
LG: There are two ways to get involved with clubs:
First, you can join a club. All of our clubs are listed on the CCSAI website
(ccsai.ca/clubs) and we have the presidents and vice presidents of each club listed with their contact information. You can also join the CCSAI Clubs group on the Experience Centennial app to stay up to date with any club events and meetings; they’re all posted on the calendar.
Second, you can start a club! Starting a club is simple. If there’s a club that you want to start that we don’t have already, all you need to do is complete the application online on our website at the beginning of the semester. You’ll need five students to make up your executive and at least 10 to be your general members (15 students in total).
RF: The process to get involved is as simple as volunteering with CCSAI and other departments. In relation to the clubs program, the first step is to get the 15 full-time students interested in starting a club, then go through club training and finally ratification.
Q: What are any positive experiences that you had while being a club member?
LG: Clubs give students a chance to become more engaged on campus outside of their academics. You’ll get a chance to meet students that you may not have met otherwise, and clubs are a perfect platform because you’ll be with fellow students who share the same interests as you.
RF: Firstly the constant interaction with the very diverse student population. Secondly, the networking opportunities are huge ways to improve my interpersonal skills.
Q: what are your thoughts on the changes to the fees?
LG: It will definitely yield some significant changes because an extracurricular like clubs and student groups are considered non-essential fees, which will decrease the budget a great deal if students don’t opt-in. At the moment we’re not entirely sure yet what the set up will look like, but we’re preparing for anything that can happen.
RF: I think they will assume that the clubs budget will be altered drastically.
Q: What is the value of clubs to campus life?
LG: Clubs and the community made within clubs are platforms to create meaningful connections with others. For some students, especially those coming to Centennial from far away or not knowing anyone, they get a
chance to meet other students and form lifelong friendships and support systems. Clubs also add life to campus life. It adds vibrancy, activities, and things to do that are outside the realm of the assignments, tests, and evaluations that are done.
RF: Some values of clubs to campus life are the possible friendships and networking opportunities. This provides a well-rounded college experience, increases a student’s marketability and gives students the chance to build their skill sets.
Q: What attracted you to the clubs/student services?
RF: The opportunity to create their own group and build in friends group at Centennial and the leadership opportunities.
Loise Gahol
Engagement Coordinator
416-289-5000 ext. 2682
[email protected]
Kirsten Inniss
Clubs Liaison
416-289-5000 ext. 4181
[email protected]
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