The Center for Student Involvement has provided wooden posts for student organizations to decorate on the Brownsville campus, similar to the benches on the Edinburg campus.
“It was a great opportunity this year that we get to continue the tradition not only on the Edinburg campus, but as well as the Brownsville campus,” said Kassandra Romo, program coordinator for the Center for Student Involvement.
Romo said the six posts located on the perimeter of the Student Union lawn were recently built by the UTRGV Facilities team.
Every year, the posts will be adorned with new artwork from various organizations, each of which will have a chance to be represented on the Student Union lawn.
Each post will have an image on each side representing a different organization.
Romo explained why posts were used instead of benches.
“We just wanted something that was a little more visible and something that they could put up a little quicker than creating the benches or the picnic tables,” she said.
German Club Vice President Yhamil Garcia Montiel hopes it will help them reconnect with students and gain more members.
“I really like the idea [of the posts],” Montiel said. “We are trying to reboot the group because of the [COVID-19] situation. [For] two years we stopped having the group. We stopped recruiting people because of that.”
Christine Vega, president of the Pre-Medical Bio-Medical Society, said, “I think it’s really cute. We did the bench painting initiative in Edinburg as well.”
Turning Point USA President Celena Cisneros (left) and Vice President Jacaranda García paint their student organization post last Tuesday in front of the Student Union lawn on the Brownsville campus. The posts are part of the Center for Student Involvement’s initiative to promote clubs on campus. Daniela Martinez Salazar/THE RIDER PHOTOS
Vega also said it is a step toward having the recognition needed on the Brownsville campus.
“I think it’s a start, but there definitely needs to be more so that the Brownsville campus could kind of come into its own and be just as well recognized as Edinburg,” she said. “Our organization used to be just an Edinburg-based organization.
“I really wanted to bring it to both campuses just because I felt so bad, especially when I would take classes in Brownsville to be so excluded from everything that Edinburg has.”
Juana Jimenez, the Pre-Medical Bio-Medical Society’s secretary, said she would also like to see benches installed on campus.
“I think we would also like to have benches on this campus and not make it only for Edinburg but for Brownsville, too,” Jimenez said.
Romo said when the sign-up process opened through V Link, the 12 available spots were quickly filled within the week.
She explained the sign-up process, saying that each student organization had to be in good standing and active status with the Center for Student Involvement, which meant that all necessary trainings and documents had been submitted to their office.
“I love it,” said Chelsea Hughes, president of RedRover Readers RGV. “I think it’s a great way to engage student organizations and create a sense of community and let the student population and staff and faculty know what’s going on campus. I think it’s awesome.”
Romo said the posts are not bulletin boards for flyer distribution, and that she would prefer that no flyers be placed, as they might accidentally ruin the paint and art. She wants to make sure the art on display lasts the entire year.
Romo hopes that because the posts are in the main area of UTRGV, they will be more visible and attract more traffic, as well as inspire students to join various student organizations.
“A lot of students will get inspired and, you know, that’s another great way for them to start looking into student organizations and being active and engaging on campus,” Romo said.
