Even bizarre college clubs get students more engaged
August 18th, 2010Joining clubs is one of many ways students network and develop lasting friendships, says John Gardner, president of the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education and author of Your College Experience: Strategies for Success.
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David Bebeau, 20, founded the Humans vs. Zombies club at the University of Wisconsin in 2009. Bebeau describes Humans vs. Zombies, which has become popular on campuses across the country, as a “massive game of tag.” Players are split into two groups; humans who are tagged by zombies become zombies themselves, and the game ends when the last human is tagged.
As many as 300 students play the week-long game that goes on 24/7. Bebeau says the club brings together a diverse group of students who wouldn’t otherwise interact.
“We get athletes with the hardest of the hard-core nerds, and people who would never actually play together have become very good friends,” he says.
Though the main purpose of some clubs is just to have fun, others extend the learning experience.
Tags: Students, Students Engaged