April 29, 2024
Updated May 7, 2024
By Elizabeth Bowen
For On the Edge
Semi-competitive volleyball intramural teams will continue at Edgewood College next fall after a successful effort this semester that ended in competitive play at the Todd Wehr Edgedome April 29.
Cayliann Gillie, an Edgewood sophomore and founder of the weekly volleyball event, said she formed it because she was aware that she and other students missed having the opportunity to play volleyball as a part of the community on campus.
While it is not officially an organization registered with The Office of Student Inclusion (OSI), Gillie hopes to do so in the fall and continues to encourage more students to be involved.
Gillie said, “everyone comes at different levels and wanting something else, so every week is a little different… if you want to play, just come play.”
Ethan Towne, an Edgewood sophomore, said he loves this fun event, and that Gillie makes people feel welcome and does an excellent job of making teams even.
Towne said he wishes there were “more events like it on campus that help Edgewood come together as a community.”
However, Towne also said that Edgewood does not advertise its events enough. He recommends that Edgewood makes a separate social media account specifically for events.
Despite this, there are many places where students can find events on campus. This includes posters hung around campus, weekly Edgewood College Residence Life emails, the calendar found on Edgewood Express, the Modern Campus Involve app that was previously known as Presence, and on edgewood.presence.io.
OSI oversees Edgewood’s campus programming and events, while also directing orientation programs, student leadership, student equity and diversity, and commuter services. It serves the mission to create opportunities to cultivate belonging and enhance student experiences while simultaneously celebrating both individual differences and their contributions while being involved on campus.
Maren Phalen, the Assistant Director for Student Transition and Leadership, notes the importance of student involvement on campus.
Phalen said, “students who are more involved on campus have higher rates of graduation, better academic performance, and increased social and emotional wellbeing. [It] helps students to develop in a more holistic manner, which strengthens resumes, and provides vital skills for the future workplace.”
Phalen also lists that there are many ways to be involved on campus. Besides attending events, students can serve in the Student Senate, join student organizations and athletics, and work in various offices on campus, such as OSI. Additionally, most organizations welcome nonmembers to attend meetings and offer input.
If students cannot find an organization that matches their interests, they can start one if they have five members and one staff or faculty advisor. They can fill out the Organization Registration form on the OSI page on Involve (https://edgewood.presence.io/organization/office-of-student-involvement-osi/forms). After the form is completed, the President and Treasurer of the organization can meet with Jordan Smith, the Assistant Director of Student Life for Student Involvement, to help it meet needed requirements before it can request approval from the Student Senate and become an official organization.
There is also the opportunity to host events without an organization. The Events and Conference Services Office can reserve rooms, outside spaces, and tables. The Technological Assistance Center can aid with technical assistance while Sodexo can be utilized for catering.
However, with these opportunities, some students may still be hesitant to host an event or create an organization.
Gillie says that if someone is thinking about starting an event or organization to “just do it… if you don’t start it, nobody’s going to do it, so just start it.”
For information about student involvement on campus, students can reach out to OSI. The Student Information Desk for OSI is located on the second floor of Preodlin Humanities Center. It can also be contacted by email at osi@edgewood.edu.
For more information about Edgewood’ s intramural semi-competitive volleyball, please contact Cayliann Gillie at cgillie@edgewood.edu.
