A year of resurgence for student clubs

The Brock University French Club brought together nearly 30 students from across campus, including second-year Medical Sciences student Emine Fidan, for a pottery painting night in December. The club has more activities planned for this semester, including a tie-dye event,.

When students in Brock’s Faculty of Humanities returned to campus last fall, they quickly began working to revive clubs that had fallen quiet during the pandemic.

Organized and run by students, clubs are an important part of the university experience, says James Allard, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Student Affairs and Curriculum in the Faculty of Humanities.

“Clubs help to foster an even greater sense of community among current students, creating opportunities for new and incoming students to find people with shared interests,” he says. “These groups have always been important, and as we slowly emerge from the pandemic, they are perhaps even more vital than ever.”

History student Jesse Masterson has been busy working with fellow students to get the Brock University Historical Society (BUHS) up and running again. As club president, he hopes to reinvigorate the club and connect students with local history.

Six people stand shoulder to shoulder, each holding a book.

Members of Brock University Historical Society (BUHS), Brock University Medieval and Renaissance Society (BUMARS) and Brock University Archaeological Society (BUAS) have been busy fundraising for a trivia night event they are hosting Feb. 8. Pictured from left: BUHS Events Manager Emily Diemert, BUHS Social Media Managers Antonia Maljevac and Nick Kester, BUHS President Jesse Masterson, BUMARS President Elizabeth Colantoni and BUMARS Events Manager Joey Sanders.

Following several events during Fall Term, including a social and an exam prep session in November, the BUHS is now collaborating with the Brock University Medieval and Renaissance Society (BUMARS) and Brock University Archaeological Society (BUAS) to host a trivia night on Wednesday, Feb. 8 in Isaac’s.

“I am excited to produce a large-scale event, which allows students to come together and have fun,” says Masterson. “Hopefully, students can build new relationships by meeting their professors and fellow students in an environment outside the classroom and have fun and enjoy themselves.”

The trivia night is free, although the organizing clubs are collecting non-perishable donations for Community Care. There will be free food and prizes for student participants.

This year has also seen the return of two creative writing clubs as well as the English Students’ Association (ESA) and Westmarches Dungeons and Dragons club.

“Being in a club makes writing less lonely, and seeing others create and thrive gives you confidence,” says Cameron Sauder, who is co-president of the Brock Creative Writing Club alongside Gabriel Piessens.

“Our meetings focus on doing all the fun things you can do with writing and learning from each other,” says Emma Campea, who is running the Creative Writing group with co-president Austin Evans. The club is an offshoot from a creative writing course the pair took two years ago.

The two creative writing clubs are working together and sharing ideas, and invite students to participate in both. Club meetings are an opportunity to talk about writing, try new writing techniques and have fun.

The groups plan to bring back a popular all-night writing event, to revive publication of the creative writing anthology and to connect with the wider Niagara writing community.

The English Students’ Association is also resuming activities this semester. Club president Mia Smith and vice-president Andrew Hawlitzky are planning a number of events for students, including essay workshops in February, a meet-the-faculty night and the return of the club’s open mic night.

The Brock University French Club has also returned with the goal of bringing together students from across campus who speak French or are interested in learning French. They hosted a successful pottery painting night in December, which saw almost 30 students from across the University come together for an evening of art and conversation. The club is now planning a Jeopardy-themed night for February and a tie-dye activity for March.

Student clubs are open to any interested students, regardless of their major. More information about each club can be found at the below links or on ExperienceBU: