The majority of student societies, clubs and organizations are chaired by students, who

manage and oversee the internal and external activities and events that happen, as well as
the funding and allocation of resources and facilities.

Each year, students have the opportunity to be elected by their peers to run for committee
roles, such as president, vice president, treasurer, raising and giving secretary, wellbeing
officer – every role can offer a real sense of achievement.

It’s also where you can improve your experience and knowledge of valuable professional
skills such as event planning and organization, market research, budgeting – all of which
employers seriously value and can help set you up nicely for exciting positions later in
life.

Benefits Of A Student Organization

1. You’ll learn more about yourself.

Joining a student organization presents many opportunities to learn more about yourself,
your goals, and your strengths. You can learn from how other students handle certain
situations and test your current knowledge. You can also find out what you’re good at,
whether that’s multitasking, staying organized, generating ideas, or serving others. This
self-awareness will be beneficial in your future career.

2. You’ll develop soft skills.

Soft skills are essentially “people skills” — they’re the skills that allow us to effectively
interact with others, like communication, attitude, and work ethic. Participating in a
student organization not only teaches you these skills, but also helps you broaden and
improve those you already have. You’ll learn the best way to communicate with both
individuals and large groups, and you’ll gain emotional intelligence as you develop new
relationships.

3. You’ll learn how to work with a team.

Knowing how to work well with a team is an essential skill for any career. Being in a
student organization teaches you how to do this by putting you in situations where you
are required to take advice from others, as well as give your own.

Joining a student organization helps to build your network & can provide valuable skills

4. You’ll get networking opportunities.

Another great benefit of student organizations is that you get the opportunity to network.
Meeting new students, making connections, and building relationships will all help down
the line when you’re looking for a job. Because you’re all part of the same organization,
you know the people you’re meeting have at least a few of the same interests as you, so
their connections will be valuable.

“Many of our organizations are professionally-focused and host several events

with alumni or panel discussions with local professionals. These events are
excellent opportunities for the student leaders, and can often lead to potential
internship or employment opportunities in the future!”

5. You’ll gain practical experience in a safe environment.

Participating in a club or an organization based around your particular area of study will
give you practical experience within that field. And what’s great about student clubs is
that while you learn to use skills like project management, event planning, and
fundraising, you get to test them out in a safe environment where making mistakes is OK.
Everyone is there to support you, so there’s no fear in messing up or being wrong.

6. You’ll be able to use the skills you’ve learned in class.

“As business students, you are able to apply classroom experience in your student
organizations, and also develop leadership and life skills that help you become more
effective in classroom team projects.”

Being part of an organization allows you to put all of those things you’ve been learning in
class to the test in real-world situations. You’ll get to learn what works and what doesn’t,
and you’ll be able to take that knowledge back to the classroom, and then, of course,
along with you in a future career. 

7. You’ll learn how to engage with diverse groups of people.

Chances are, the organization you choose to participate in will include a diverse group of
people — you’ll be faced with the same situation in the working world! Learning how
different people respond and react to certain situations will help you develop your skills
in presenting and implementing ideas. Student organizations can also provide you with
the opportunity to learn about different cultural backgrounds.

8. You’ll gain leadership skills.

Becoming a leader or an officer in an organization will help you develop leadership skills
that will be invaluable in all areas of life. You’ll be presented with opportunities to
improve in public speaking, and gain confidence in yourself as an individual. Corbett said
this is one of the two greatest benefits student organizations offer:

“While there are many positive reasons for taking on a leadership position in a
student organization, I believe the two greatest benefits are developing leadership
skills and expanding your network. Holding a position in a student organization
 requires you to work with a team, effectively problem-solve, plan events, and also
interact with faculty, staff, and alumni.”

“Being in a leadership position has taught me a lot of patience, has improved the
way I manage my time, and has given me the opportunity to connect with fun,
talented and creative individuals.”

9. You’ll get a break from your studies.

Concentrating on schoolwork is obviously important especially if you are a graduating

student, but giving your mind a break is necessary (and beneficial). While taking part in
club activities, you’ll be able to socialize with like-minded individuals and actually learn
as much from them as you would your schoolwork.

10. You’ll expand your resume.

There’s no arguing that organizations and activities look good on a résumé. Showing
employers that you participated in, or (better yet) lead, a student organization, they’ll
know that you’re hard working and can handle multiple responsibilities.

11. You’ll be able to give back to the community.

Many student organizations provide opportunities to give back to the community,

whether through acts of service, sponsoring events, or hosting charity drives. Giving back
to the community is the most rewarding part of being involved:

“The most rewarding aspect of being involved in a student organization is that

you get to give back to the student community through fun events, giving them
networking opportunities and offering them a chance to have fun with their peers.
This adds an immense value to the learning experience.”

12. You’ll find a sense of belonging or connection to your campus, and peer
influence 

Involvement with a student organization provided students with both something and
someone to relate to, which deepened their sense of community and connection to the
college or university. It connects students who have the same passion and advocacies.
Student organizations offer an opportunity to make friends, sharing that their friends in a
student organization served as their family while attending college, which also aligned
with developing a sense of belonging and engagement. 

Recommendations 
Understanding the Relationship between Student Organizations and Student Engagement

Conclusions from this study reinforce the idea that student organization involvement does
contribute to students developing a sense of belonging, which has a lasting influence on
student engagement and their success.  Therefore, professionals working in educational
settings need to understand the contributions that a well-designed student organization
program has on an inclusive learning environment from both a programmatic and
community-building point of view. By explaining why students join student
organizations, the results inform practice, particularly when the student voice emphasizes
how student organizations are responsible for their sense of belonging with others and the
institution. As a practice, it is important that higher education institutions identify both
fiscal and personnel resources that support the building of sustainable student
organizations on college campuses.    

Utilizing Student Organizations for Skill Development   

It is important that students have environments that support the development of skills and
that students be able to explain how the skills they acquire through co-curricular
experiences are transferable to a specific job application or graduate school program.
Focus group participants articulated that student organizations provide the environment
they need to learn, practice, and develop skills. In understanding the reasons why students
join student organizations, it is essential that student affairs practitioners recognize that
students identify student organizations as platforms for career preparation
and development. 

It is also evident that students can identify skill development that is derived from their
involvement and are able to explain how they successfully used certain skills as members
and leaders of their organizations.  Given the results of this study regarding the
acquisition of skills, it is important for higher education professionals to implement
assessment practices that analyze student skill development following their student
organization involvement. 

Understanding Student Organizations Role for Developing Leaders  

As participants in this study shared, student organizations provided them with

opportunities to serve in leadership roles that helped them practice skills and define who
they were as a leader.  Furthermore, students stated that they joined student organizations
because of the opportunity to grow and learn as leaders.   

Academics and student affairs professionals must work collaboratively to elevate

students’ leadership potential through student organizations. This collaborative approach
fosters a rich learning environment for students and is beneficial for student development.
First, recognition of the need for this partnership in a student’s academic journey is
imperative. Both academic and student affairs professionals enhance the life of students,
and when efforts are combined to develop robust learning environments, the impact on a
students leadership development is profound. Second, it is crucial to recognize the
importance of assessing the development of leadership skills, to validate them in both
curricular and cocurricular settings, and to identify areas of potential growth.   
Student organizations foster the acquisition of knowledge, leadership training and
development; and the application of soft skills such as problem solving, time
management, and communication. These improve the preparation of future leaders.
Importantly, as participants shared in focus groups, students acknowledge that student
organizations serve as a gateway for leadership development.   

Conclusion

Being a student leader is a sacrifice, all of you have a rigorous academic schedule, and
many have full- or part-time work and personal lives to balance. Students continue to get
involved on campus because they see that the sacrifice of their time is worth the benefits
they receive — the friendships, the level of involvement across campus, the expansion of
their professional network, and the amount of fun they can have as a team.

Student organizations have a lot to offer. Whether you join as a member or choose to lead
one, simply taking part in an extracurricular group will enhance your school experience.
Gaining skills, making connections, and broadening your knowledge through a student
organization will help you become a more well-rounded individual — one that’s ready to
take on their future career!