Going Clubbin'

by Jocelynn De Luna on 30 Nov 2007

Frances Arnold, president of the Art of Living Club, shows the "Three Stages of Breathing." This breathing technique is used to help reduce stress and to calm the mind.

Photos by Kevin Clifford.

Want to free your mind from the intense grip of crippling boredom and build the bridge to many opportunities? Join a club. The University of Nevada, Reno has a wide selection to choose from. They can fill empty hours with fun and act as links to diverse possibilities.

"Many people in the Reno community believe that UNR students are apathetic," Maria Urbina, Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno director of clubs and organizations says. "But I vehemently disagree because I worked with club leaders who accomplished such amazing things."

The following clubs show that UNR students are anything but apathetic.

Art of Living Club

The Art of Living Club nurtures unshakable happiness through stress-management, breathing, exercise, service projects and a positive community. The club seeks to alleviate stress and provide a release outlet.

The Art of Living club provides a place where students learn to deal with anxiety, depression, negative emotions and improve their focus, confidence and communication skills. Students come together and build positive connections through the workshops. The club created trauma relief projects in New Orleans and teaches yoga courses at UNR.

"One big, diverse family describes our members the best," France Arnold, president of Art of Living Club says. "All have a common interest in quality of life, not just for themselves, but for others as well. They are interested in finding lasting joy from within. We care very much about creating belongingness for all people."

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Each year, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) holds a competition in which students across the nation build human-powered vehicles. They are essentially bicycle-powered, aerodynamic cars. The project gives engineering students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with design, testing and manufacturing that they would often only use in the classroom.

Mechanical engineering senior Scott Waters, 23-year-old president of ASME said that this is the first year the club has been in existence. The club has 16 registered members of various ages and experience and it is always looking for more.

"Generally, I think the members have a reputation for being hard workers," Waters says. "By the end of this year we will also have a reputation for having thighs like tree trunks from training."

UNR has consistently placed in the top 10 in the competition; last year it placed 4th in one event and 7th in another. This year, students are working on a carbon-fiber composite frame, and it will definitely be a learning experience, but they think they have a great chance to win.

Anime and Manga Society

Every Friday the Anime and Manga Society members get together and watch anime (Japanese animation) and read manga (Japanese comics). They also hold an art contest and a Halloween Party every year on campus.

Don Torres, president of AMS, said that the whole point of the club is to provide a fun, open environment for people looking to relax and watch some good anime.

"Our club members are as varied as the anime we watch," Torres says. "We have your usual smartypants, the resident tech savvy person, the nutty goofball, etc., but as crazy and loony as we get, we are really harmless... for the most part."

Circle K

Circle K provides an answer to the question, ‘Who wants to make a difference?' Circle K promotes service, fellowship and leadership. It is the largest collegiate service club at UNR.
Sophomore Gracie Geremia, 19-year-old club president of Circle K, says that the club was established and chartered in 1996 with 30 active members.

"We love to serve the community, we're diverse, and we are very busy people that share commonalities, such as a love of service and dedication to a club that works hard to make a community," Geremia says.

The Society of Women Engineers

The Society of Women Engineers is a national organization of 19,000 members in both the professional and collegiate level. Women account for only 10% of all engineers in America. SWE provides an organization that fosters mentoring and professional development. The goal is to encourage girls to study engineering and provide support to current women engineers.

The UNR chapter of SWE has won many awards at regional and national conferences because of active club participation. The biggest benefit for SWE members is being a mentor and role model to younger girls who need support in becoming engineers.

Networking opportunities with friends and professionals benefit engineering students, Rashi Tiwari, 26-year-old president of SWE, says.

"We are the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women," Tiwari says. "We empower women to succeed and advance in those aspirations and be recognized for their life-changing contributions and achievements as engineers and leaders."

Wolf Pack FSAE

The Wolf Pack Formula Society of Automotive Engineers club is an interdisciplinary team of students whose goal it is to complete in the Formula SAE student design competition. The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) holds an international competition (Formula SAE) for students to design, fabricate and compete with a small formula-style race vehicle.

Tim Bullard, 21-year-old president of FASE, says that this club allows its members to get invaluable hands-on engineering experience in an exciting vehicle design project. The tasks required of the members will greatly enhance the quality and effectiveness of the knowledge taken from the classroom by having them apply it in a sensible project that emulates real-world engineering practices.

"Our members are a goal-oriented group of students who desire to enhance their own experience in the design and engineering disciplines and help others gain knowledge and experience as well," Bullard says. "Additionally, the idea of building and racing a vehicle that was once just a design is a dream shared by all of the members."

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