The Role of Student Unions

The Role of Student Unions

What exactly is the main role of a student union? If you asked 10 people you would most likely get 10 different answers. The student union at a university is a place on campus that is the center of the university. A college union is a large based organization or space on that particular campus that has the goal to enrich student life. This including academics, intramural sports, clubs, recreational programs, and so much more!

According to eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ghost/detail Student Unions are one of the top five most important locations on college campuses as far as academic standards and an enriched college experience. Which means being able to be involved with the club or organization of your choice while still being able to succeed in the classroom!

Student Unions are a student-centered organization that values success in all areas of the college student. Unions are consisted of boards, volunteers, committees, and employed college students at that particular university. They truly give you so many opportunities. You can grow in so many ways including public speaking skills, hands on work, group effectiveness, and just really improve you overall as a person.

They are traditionally looked at/perceived as the heart or the center of the campus. Not only taking about location, but talking about student involvement, a great place to grab a bite to eat, and associate with friends. The student union is the gathering place/ meeting place for a university. Providing conveniences and services that students and faculty members need in their lives. They create a place that is not only built for learning, communicating, and growing, but for understanding. When I state that I mean understanding the different ways that different people enjoy and succeed in their lives. Student Unions give an overall since of community that is impossible for anyone in the college community to overlook.

Student Centers around the State

Student Center’s around the State of Kentucky

At the University of Kentucky we have a very well running, versatile, elaborate, and useful student center. I have always wondered how they compared to other universities’ student centers. Come to find out a lot of other colleges don’t call it the “student center” and some don’t even have anything that is similar to the University of Kentucky’s Student Center.

To be exact a lot of colleges call this their College Union. According to http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu over 15 other universities around the country are paying over 1 million dollars for a renovation of their current student unions. It truly makes such an effect on a campus if they have a good student union, and lots of universities have realized that.

So let’s talk about the overall structure of student unions are how they compare to the composition of other universities around the state of Kentucky. University of Kentucky has so many components to their student center. It contains a food court, bookstore, classrooms, an area to play pool and ping pong, theatres, and so much more. The other two most populous universities in the state besides UK are the University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University.  

The University of Louisville named their student union the student activities center.  This building on there campus is extremely similar to what we have here at UK. Louisville’s student activities center contains their campus bookstore, a game room, 15 vending machines, and a theatre! Extremely similar to the UK Student Center.

Western Kentucky University named their student union the Downing Student Union. Located in the center of WKU’S campus, this building is without a doubt the heart of the campus. You can buy books here, enjoy a meal, acquire tutoring assistance, and lots of other things.  You can see simply how important student unions are to college campuses. They are not only important for current students, but are extremely needed to attract high school students into coming to that particular university.

Memorial Coliseum

                                              Memorial Coliseum

The home of the very historic University Of Kentucky Women’s basketball program and the University of Kentucky Volleyball team, Memorial Coliseum! So many Kentuckians don’t know the actual backdrop information of the Coliseum. According to http://www.ukathletics.com/athletic-dept/memorial-coliseum.html Memorial was actually built in the year of 1950. The meaning or purpose of the building was actually to serve as a Memorial to all Kentuckians killed in the Korean Conflict and in World War 1.

In the year of 1990, a huge renovation project took place on the Coliseum. New basketball and administration’s office, a state of the arc weight training facility, and team meeting rooms where all implemented in for a grand total around one million dollars. Proceeding the renovation in the late 90’s, the seating in Memorial Coliseum war reduced from 11,500 to 8,000.

Prior to Rupp Arena, for 24 years Memorial Coliseum was also home to the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team. It has been home to many NCAA tournament games including basketball (men’s and women’s) and women’s volleyball. A fun fact about Memorial that a lot of people are unsure of is that it is also home to various types of gymnastics, and hosts occasional practices for the University of Kentucky cheerleading team. 

Memorial Coliseum is located on Avenue of Champions directly across from the large wildcat statue that is located directly outside the Singletary of the Arts. UK Women’s basketball team has been ranked in the top 25 for the last 4 seasons. The women’s volleyball team has also had lots of success in posting a 686 winning percentage in their 30 season history of the program. A lot of places on campus are full of action, but not many compare to the excitement that Memorial Coliseum can provide for you. Not to mention that Women’s basketball games and volleyball games are free! So come on out and catch some of the excitement in Memorial Coliseum!

Center for Student Involvement

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Center for Student Involvement

The student for student involvement has left and will continue to leave a mark on the University of Kentucky campus. They are kind of considered the match maker for the University of Kentucky. Whatever group or organization on campus is the best fit for you they will find! Or if you are just wondering about an organization they will be able to tell you what it is all about!

Some might ask what really the meaning of the Center for Student Involvement is. It is so that everyone on UK’s campus can have an experience outside of the classroom! This Center for Student Involvement has contact information for every single organization on campus. Even the Sasquatch watching club! The actually location for the office of the Center for Student Involvement is located on the bottom floor of the student center. There provide a conference room for any student or organization on campus.

The Center also provides printing (charged to your Student I.D.), Mac Computers, Graphic Design Resources, and truly so much more! The center is actually home to some of the organizations on campus according to http://getinvolved.uky.edu/ps/csio these organizations include Catalyst, Center for Community outreach, Leadership Exchange, Diversity Education, Community Building, and the Wildcat Passport Acceptance Facility. That’s a whole lot of programs that are located in the Center for Student Involvement!

What a truly great organization and a wonderful way to meet new people and get involved on campus here at the University of Kentucky! I think the most beneficial thing about the Center for Student Involvement is that they have no boundaries! What I mean by that is that they truly have something for everyone on this campus! All they are is a phone call, email, or a visit in the office away from changing your college experience!

Christian Student Fellowship

Christian Student Fellowship

            Changing and redirecting the lives of so many, Christian Student fellowship is a very well thought of organization here on the campus of UK. This organization not only provides great connections with students, but helps to life people up that really need a boost. CSF can do so many good things for you it’s unbelievable!

            Shift is a program that offered on Tuesday nights at seven o’clock, this is for college freshman. This will really be an opportunity to discuss issues that come up or go along with being a college student. For example study hours, getting enough sleep, participating in things outside of the classroom, and trying to balance it all! The Christian Student Fellowship Crew will discuss with you how life with God fits into life at College.

            Synergy is the second program that CSF offers! This one is at 8 p.m. on Thursday nights at the CSF building and its for everybody! This is a time of coming together and worshiping god, music, prayer, and reflection. The crowds will be quite a bit larger for these. What a great thing that is offered by an organization that is trying to show everyone the grace of God.

            Christian Student Fellowship allows you to go on the annual fall retreat according to http://ukcsf.org/fallretreat/ .Cost is 59 dollars to sign up for the retreat. There will be lots of dodgeball, food, and worship. What a week it will be in Woodland lakes camp in exotic Amelia, Ohio.  Meeting new friends, and making memories that will last a lifetime! I am a devout Christian, and I can truly say it has changed my life in every way for the better. Every chance to get closer to get is a wonderful experience that you should never pass up on! CSF can change your life!!

            

Educaton Abroad

Education Abroad

Something that can change your life forever, Education Abroad! Although traveling across the country would be extremely frightening, what an eye opening experience to be able to see how people in other countries live! That is not to mention getting to take classes in another country and getting accustomed to a whole new culture and a whole new world!

There great thing about Education Abroad is that you have the capability to explore programs that are in your major. Your experience abroad will not just be in the classroom, you will be able to even teach a certain subject if you show mastery of it! You can also even have an internship at a job if the opportunity or fit is best for you! Anything you will be doing greatly involves growing as a leader, meeting new people, and just seeing the rest of the world so you have a greater appreciation for what your living conditions are back home!

As students, there are always certain classes that we would like to make a little bit more exciting. Well what about taking a class in another country?? I don’t just mean setting in a classroom, I mean having the capability to experience your subject or program of choice by doing hands on experiments, and talking with professionals that will give you great advice!

Prices as far as student abroad depends on a lot of things. It will vary depending upon where you are going, your subject or choice of study, and also how long you plan to stay in that particular place before coming home to the states! For example, according to http://www.uky.edu/international/educationabroad  UK is offering a 2 month stay this summer for students who will be interested in taking classes in Ireland!

UK truly has a wonderful Student Abroad program that has tons of opportunities, that are all worth looking into. Just think about completely opening your eyes up to another country. We don’t have an accurate description or perception until we actually see it with our own eyes! Student Abroad could truly change your life!

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Greek Life at UK

Greek Life at UK

Being opened minded in life is something that for a lot of people is not the easiest thing in the world to do. Since I have been on campus at UK I have learned quite a lot of information about Fraternities and Sororities. I must say that even though I do not participate in Greek life here at UK my general perception of Greek life was not correct at all. Most people think that all Frats and Sororities are is a bunch of college kids that like to get drunk. This statement just simply does not fit with the well majority of Fraternities and Sororities.

Of course most people (not all) that participate in Greek life will attend their fair share of parties before they graduate, but there is truly so much more to it than that! According to http://fraternitysororityaffairs82160.orgsync.com/home Greek life at UK started in the 1890’s, and ever since then has been used to build lifelong friendships, enhance academic success, and have also been involved in many philanthropic and community service endeavors.

The average GPA of a student involved in Greek life is actually higher than that average student here at UK. That fact doesn’t at all mean that you won’t have a great GPA if you aren’t involved in Greek life. It just reiterates the fact that the majority of them take their academics pretty serious. It is just a good way in get involved on campus especially, if you are coming in not knowing many people.

Greek life truly has a lot of positives to it. I guess everybody has their personal preference on Fraternities and Sororities. The one thing that nobody can argue with is some of the positive facts about Greek life as far as academics and money circumstances. Be opened minded about Greek life. It may be for you or it may not be for you. But don’t really make an educated statement about Greek life before you see what it has to offer!