Of Fire Dancers and Fantasy Lands When Willamette students club together, anything can happen. By Tina Owen
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cat named Hamlet crouches on the Animal Care Club table, while nearby students in yellow T-shirts advocate earnestly for human rights. Elsewhere at the Spring Activities Fair, representatives of other student organizations make their case for support. At Willamette, students looking for co-curricular activities — to relax, expand their circles of friends, stretch their minds or bodies, or engage their social conscience — are spoilt for choice. Some 100 organizations, in categories including academic, Greek, multicultural, performing arts, religious, social and service, cater to every interest. And in the rare instance where the perfect club doesn’t exist, students are encouraged to start their own.
One of the oldest organizations, the Philomathean Society (which now sponsors public debates and other opportunities for intellectual enlightenment) can trace its roots back to 1856, when the Oregon Territorial Legislature passed an act incorporating it as a literary society for Willamette teachers, trustees, patrons and students. Over the years, many student-led activities have come and gone. Even Glee — a long-standing tradition beloved by generations of Willamette students — eventually gave way to changing times and newcomers such as the Digital Art Club and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. With so many options, many students belong to several clubs. Here are a few that currently capture the interests — and the passions — of today’s Bearcats.
Alianza It aims to educate, to celebrate, to help people broaden their cultural horizons. But just as importantly, the Alianza club provides Latino students with a welcoming home away from home. “Because the club provides a safe environment for students who identify as Chicanx* or Latinx*,” says president Marisol Garibay-Cervantes ’17, “we have days where we just come together and eat authentic food and feel a little less homesick.” One of 10 multicultural campus organizations, Alianza regularly hosts potlucks, educational sessions and celebrations for ethnic festivals. While the club has about 20 members, it usually draws many more people to its festivals. At a Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead event, students and children from the local community proudly donned white face paint depicting skull masks, while performers in vividly colored costumes whirled around in traditional dances. “We welcome people from all backgrounds who want to learn more about the Latino culture,” says Garibay-Cervantes. “Alianza has helped me embrace my roots and made me feel proud to be a Latina.” * Gender-inclusive terms
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SPRING 2016