For Armenian Student Association President Saro Haroun, 19, the goal for Club Rush Week was to surpass the recruitment record of 319 students set last year, and he figured it was likely given the large Armenian population on campus.
In an effort to promote student life on campus, the Associated Students of Glendale Community College (ASGCC) sponsored Club Rush Week, which kicked off Sept. 24 to 28.
According to Jennifer Ghazal, ASGCC vice president of campus organizations, the purpose of Club Rush Week is to help clubs recruit members during the first weeks of school. In addition, she said that Club Rush Week can be perceived as a tool that illustrates student life on campus.
ASA Treasurer Chantalle Parsakhian, 19, represented her club all week. ASA set up its table in Plaza Vaquero as early as 7:30 a.m. in order to raise awareness of the club.
The history of the ASA goes back 30 years, in comparison to some of the newer organizations, recently set up.
The Agnostic Coalition, whose slogan reads “got truth” is one of the newer clubs, established this semester.
“We’re trying to unite people under a common thought as opposed to segregating and going back in time,” said co-president Maria Markarian, 19. “We think that through unity of different religions and political views, we can finally achieve some kind of peace.”
Keven Carlson, 20, founder of the Agnostic Coalition, already has some positive expectations for the club. “We have big plans on lots of outreach as far as public relations [is concerned],” he said.
Some of the activities that the club hopes to sponsor are film screenings of movies that convey what Carlson claims to be the “brainwashing” that comes with religion.
“Once religion becomes organized it becomes corrupt,” he said. “Man, by nature, is corrupt and this is the cause for much of the controversy.”
According to Ghazal, clubs must re-register every semester. The ASGCC Campus Organization Committee helps clubs remain active by producing successful events. The associated students also encourage the clubs to establish a mission statement and a constitution, which will allow future leaders of the club to maintain continuity.
“Being in a club will allow a student to be around a group of people who share the same ideas, beliefs or hobbies,” said Ghazal. “[It] also allow the students to enjoy their experience here at GCC.”
