Saturday, September 20th, was an opportunity for freshmen and returning students of the American University of Nigeria to become part of something uniquely aligned with their interests. The activities expo, which takes place at the start of every semester, was an opportunity for clubs on campus to showcase themselves in full display. Each club, assigned to a corner and table, had artistically displayed what their club was about. The motive? For publicity, but most importantly, to enroll new members.
The activities expo, which started at 8:30 pm in the Lamido Mustafa commencement hall, was already filled with students by 9 pm, all moving from table to table to explore clubs that intrigued them or appealed to their interests. Many clubs were offering snacks as an incentive for new sign-ups. A freshman, Dokuran Amos, majoring in international and comparative politics, said she signed up for the career club because she was unsure about her choice of study and needed the clarity that the club offered. Another student, Mohamed Moustapha, a third-year computer science major, joined the swimming club because he loved swimming.
The activities expo also served as a reminder that there is much more a student can be part of at the American University of Nigeria. The Dean of Student Affairs, Mr. Sesugh Annger, had this to say “this is an opportunity for students to see all the student activities that are available at AUN for clubs, this is where they get to sign in new members, and for other [student] organizations like the Honors Society and the SGA, this is where the create awareness about what they do and give students an opportunity to know and aspire to join them.
Ms. Bwamakuli Fwa, head of the Office of Student Activities and Involvement, added that, “[this] is an opportunity for new students and returning students that do not belong to a club to know what they do and sign up…it is more than that actually…this brings the students together because it gives them a chance to interact. It is also important for their experience here in AUN [where] they get to develop themselves in different aspects…”
Ms Bwamakuli further added that there are close to 50 clubs and student organizations on campus. This highlights the numerous options and avenues available for AUN students to be part of something beyond their classroom. Be it a club that aligns with their hobbies, talents, interests, goals and ambitions, or their field of study.
Wisdom Philip
Junior, Communications & Multimedia Design major,
Intern at Marketing & Communications