Ohio University is home to 550+ student organizations with 10,000 Bobcats involved. Interested in learning more about student organizations? You’re at the right place. Check out our guide below to clubs at OU.
Benefits of joining
Whether you’re an incoming freshman or senior, it's never too late or too early to join a club. While benefits vary for each individual, overall they can best be summed up by three simple words, friendship, growth and leadership. Student organizations are extracurriculars that enhance your resume and teach important skills, like time management. They present the opportunity for leadership positions, which in turn, pushes you to grow as an individual. Joining clubs is the perfect getaway to new experiences, new friends and new opportunities, which is a huge part of what your time at college is all about. Student organizations allow you to meet new people and open doors to friendships you may not have discovered otherwise.
Important Resources
Bobcat Connect is a one-stop directory of every student organization on the OU campus. Students can learn about the variety of clubs as well as who to contact to join. To make exploring options easier, Bobcat Connect also has a search bar and filter, where you can choose preferences of what you’re looking for.
OU's Campus Involvement Center is the heart of student organizations. The center provides guidelines for structure and assists in smooth execution. They can help you start your own club or decide what to join. To contact a Campus Involvement representative, email involvement@ohio.edu or stop by the Campus Involvement Center at Baker 355.
The OU Student Involvement Fair is held every year the day before the fall semester begins, which means this year it will be held on Sunday, August 22. The fair takes place in the heart of College Green and is a great opportunity for students to explore multiple organizations while meeting new people. Just remember to mask up this year if you plan on attending.
Different types
While this list does not cover every genre of club at OU, it covers general classifications to provide a jumpstart to exploring one’s options.
Greek Life
OU has 10 sororities and 15 fraternities. Sororities and fraternities are social value-based organizations. To join, students go through a recruitment process referred to as “rush week.” Rush is a mutual selection process that formally takes place twice a year. To learn more about Greek life, see the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life.
Publications & Media
OU is well known for its roots in the field of communication. Through publications and media clubs, students are able to expand and showcase their talent in that field. Magazine and newspaper organizations regularly publish content thanks to student involvement. There are also clubs for those interested in music, film or public relations.
Service
Work together with fellow peers by spending time helping others and join a service-based student organization. The 82 service based clubs at OU provide a wide range of causes to support. Pick whichever one speaks to you. Whether it is helping socialize service dogs in training or raising money for the Ronald McDonald House, there is something for everyone.
Hobbies
What do you like to do in your freetime? Well, OU probably has a club for it. There are two different levels of sport organizations. At club level, you compete against other schools and are one step below collegiate. The recreational level is for fun, and players compete against other students and no prior experience is needed. There are clubs for other hobbies such as singing in an ensemble or an a capella group. If you like to dance, OU has teams for that. If you like gaming, they have both video game and board game options to choose from. Clearly, OU has a club to fit just about everyone’s needs.
Religious/Spiritual
Religious/spiritual student organizations provide a community of those interested in growing their chosen faith or for those discovering new beliefs. Currently, there are 32 religious/spiritual organizations at OU ranging from various branches of Christianity to Islam. Apply the religious/spiritual filter when searching Bobcat Connect for all that is offered.
How to start your own club
According to OU's Campus Involvement Center, there were 50+ new student organizations last school year. Your idea for a club can come to life in just a few simple steps. First step to starting a registered student organization, you need a group of five or more currently enrolled OHIO students. Then, there also must be a faculty/staff advisor. Also, the club must have a primary goal of advancing a common mission or interest. To learn all of the details of starting a club, check out the Student Organization Handbook [PDF].