Texan Mosaic

Story & Photos by Alec Leos

       Whether it’s gaming, stamp collecting, or even knitting almost everyone has a niche activity or hobby.  However, not everyone can form a club for these interesting hobbies. South Plains College makes it fairly to do so.

      SPC’s Director of Student Life Joshua Meredith says a lot of things have changed over the years in regard to starting a club. “There used to be a bunch of paperwork,” he says

     Now, Meredith says, a student who wants to start a club goes to the student government. That’s the approving body.  And there are a few more steps that go into the process.

     Meredith emphasizes the members of a new club need to be committed to the message or mission of the club.

    “So, clubs are required to have ten active members,” Meredith says. “Not just interested people to sign a petition. They need ten committed members.”

     One of the biggest and most popular clubs on campus, Meredith says, is Jontos Sumos Mas, SPC’s Hispanic Student Association.

      SPC business administration major Edgar Delgado is the president and founder of the club. 

He says the first step in creating the club was gathering interest.

     “I first had to understand if there was a need for this on campus,” he says.   “And after talking to people and feeling around SPC I realized that a lot of people felt the same way that I did.  That Hispanic students need a place on campus to feel supported.”

     But besides a strong show of interest, Meredith points out there are several other hurdles to jump before a club actually forms.

     Funding a new club, for instance, is one issue. “Primarily they’re self-funded,” Meredith says.   “Currently, each club, they get an account with the business office. That money is for the club.”

     When a club holds a fundraiser, or a bake sale, Meredith says, students do not handle money.   Instead, he says two advisors serve as sponsors who go and visit the fundraisers.  They make sure the money is deposited into a club’s account.

      In addition to funding, Meredith says there an issue of having a written article of laws or constitution.

    “It’s got to say, Article I:The name of this club shall be…Article II: We’re going to have a vice president and 4 vice presidents,” he says. “What’s the purpose of this club?”

     But once a potential new club has met the list of requirements, Meredith suggests the students behind it turn to Student Life office for help with meetings. 

     That’s what Delgado says he did.  “So, after I found there was a need,” Delgado says, “the next step was actually just seeing if anyone showed up to the first meeting and teaming up with Student Life.”

     The Student Life office is located in the Student Center past the double doors in the cafeteria. You’ll know you’ve made it once you see the flashing lights and the sound of billiard balls breaking.

     “We will sponsor a call out meeting,” Meredith says, “if you meet the requirements, got an advisor, we’ll let you host a call out meeting.” 

     In Delgado’s case, there was interest in Juntos Somos Mas.

 “People starting showing up,” Delgado says, “and then last year we kind of blew up in that second semester for the Cinco De Mayo celebration.”  

     Delgado says one of the biggest goals he had in mind when forming this club was to give Hispanic students a “place”.

     “Well, for example, English was my second language,” he says.  “So, but I use English a lot more now and the goal I was trying to meet was having a place on campus to practice our Spanish because you an lose a language so easy and that kind of was the goal.  Just not to lose a part of ourselves.”

     Translated into English, the name of Delgado’s club, Juntos Somos Mas, means “Together we are more.”

     And togetherness is ultimately a big value attached to all the clubs at SPC, not just Juntos Somos Mas.  Meredith points out that college is a place where someone can choose a friend group based on similar interests.  And that, he says, is a great social connection.

     “Having that connection,” Meredith ways, “ like a lot of people leave friends and family, and they live on campus and they don’t have that social support that accessible anymore.  They kind of have to reform, remake those connections.  Clubs are the way to do that.  We have  big events, we cast a broad net, and we lead out a lot of students because we can’t be all things for all people.  But clubs can.”

     Delgado says the next Juntos Somos Mas fundraiser is probably a T-shirt sale.  Also, the next event is a volleyball game.

       If you have any questions about the clubs and activities that have already been established on campus you can look at the club online registry to see if you would be interested in any  current clubs.   You find it by clicking on the Get Involved link under Campus Life and Housing.  After that, click on Clubs & Activities. 

     “Any SPC student can start a club,” Meredith says, “or take the necessary steps to starting a club.  At any campus too.  I know we’re primarily based at the Levelland campus, but any student at any campus can start a club.”