International Affairs Scholars Mini-Involvement Fair

I attended the IA Mini-Involvement fair outside Smith-Steeb on Thursday October 25^th. The fair was organized by IA scholars Sam Harris and Kelsie Parker which incorporated clubs that are related to the scholar’s program. I enjoyed the environment of a smaller and more intimate involvement fair. It was much easier to discuss with all the club’s representatives involved, I had time to ask questions and get their personal opinions. This smaller size helped simplify the overwhelming involvement fair from the begging of the year, that had too many different clubs and choices. These clubs were related to international affairs and world issues. Some of the clubs at the fair included, Student Leadership Advocates, MUNDO, Public Affairs Multicultural Student Organization (PAMSO), and Collegiate Council of World Affairs. Each club separately focuses on the involvement of international issues in different ways through meetings, competitions, travel, and service opportunities. The Collegiate Council of World fairs has three different types of involvement just within the club. CCWA includes, Model United Nations where the students come together from different schools to imitate the situations of working within the UN, Alger Magazine which focuses on the journalism and writing information surrounding world affairs, and UNA-USA which focuses on the importance of relations about the UN. PAMSO is a club that focuses on brining all different students to discuss topics related to diversity and inclusion. Recently they just held a combined discussion with Programs for Ohio Women Empowered to Represent (POWER), right before election time with a panel discussing women in politics across the spectrum. MUNDO is residential life initiative and student organization that is involved in social change at the local, national and global level using service, learning and leadership. MUNDO holds meetings every Mondays and also plans additional events that are held within the Columbus community and abroad. MUNDO offers a lot of travel experience and learning for its members. They have many study abroad programs every year that can be applied for. One of the current programs is Castles, Celts and Curries: Multicultural Histories and Legacies of the UK, a trip to the United Kingdom, which takes place during the summer term study. They also provided information with ways to help pay for those study abroad opportunities, through many scholarships from Ohio State and outside scholarships for each type of student. Student Leadership Advocates is a club that focuses on helping the development of leadership in clubs in the Ohio State community. I was able to learn a lot about the opportunities to join clubs on campus and about the future events that will partake in the Spring semester. I was unsure about what types of clubs to get involved with and how to do so, and this Mini-Involvement fair has helped give me more insight. Personally, I want to be more involved in my community and I am glad for this closer opportunity to look into clubs that focus on my interests and issues related to world affairs like within the International Affairs scholars program. I am looking forward to going to these clubs’ future meetings and discussions.