The annual undergraduate Activities Night, sponsored by the Student Activities Office (SAO) did not disappoint again this year as thousands of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's students visited the booths of over 200 campus clubs and organizations, as well as a number of community agencies and other area groups.
Student Program Coordinator Mary Kate Havlik said more than 4,300 students crowded the arena. This number, she said, compares favorably with the 4,025 turnout of last year.
"There were enormous amounts of groups this year," Havlik said. The groups all had to register through club registration last spring, she said.
Sophomore Meagan Sullivan, who transferred to the University this year from the University of Illinois, said that she visited booths that pertained to her major as well as her personal interests.
"I visited the booths for the Habitat for Humanity, Global Health and the Women's Running Club," she said.
Havlik said both the Women's and Men's Running Club saw larger turnouts this year.
Freshman Charles Kaiser also visited club booths which coincided with his major and personal interests, collecting pamphlets from the Investment Club, Rugby Club, College Libertarians and Republicans.
"This was a good chance to see what ND had to offer," Kaiser said. "The number of people here was impressive."
The Student Government booth, which was located close to the entrance of the event, saw a huge turnout in sign-ups. Hundreds of signatures occupied over seven pages, Cynthia Weber, student body vice president, said.
Student Government will follow up with an orientation meeting for interested students, Weber said. The meeting, called Student Gov. 101, will take place on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in LaFortune.
Club Coordination Council president Cameron Shane, who has attended Activities Night all of his three years at the University, said the event was again a success.
"There was a lot of turnout and interest [on the students' part,]" Shane said. He added he was particularly impressed with the large number of off-campus groups around the perimeter of the arena.
"Everything went smoothly," Shane added.
Event coordinators hope that the event will help students channel their interests to meaningful and exciting groups and events around campus.
"Students are always complaining and saying there's nothing to do around campus," Havlik said, adding that Activities Night shows them just how much there is to do."
