Why should you join a Registered Student Organization (RSO) at UNLV?

There are so many great benefits to getting involved in student clubs and organizations!  Here’s our top ten list of reasons why you should join an RSO:

1. Involved students do better academically and are more likely to graduate – Multiple research studies in the field of higher education have proven that involvement has positive effects on student performance.  Students who are involved on campus gain skills that help them in the classroom.  These involvement opportunities create important campus connections and support networks that help you through the challenges you face as a student.  Statistics show that students who are involved have higher rates of completing their degrees than students who do not join clubs or organizations.
2. Make friends and find your community – You probably join a specific student organization because of its mission or focus, but you’ll also meet people with the same interests and passions as you.  Whether it’s an organization of students who share the same major as you or a group of students who like to do the same things as you, it’s a great way to expand your social circle.  Student organizations give us that chance to meet people who share similar interests. They allow us to expand our views of the world and grow as people.  Also, a campus as big as UNLV can sometimes feel overwhelming.  Membership in an RSO can help you find smaller communities where you feel like you belong.
3. Learn leadership skills – Whether it’s through a formal role on an organization’s executive board or simply general membership in your organization, students work together to govern their organizations, recruit other members, plan events, run meetings, establish and achieve goals, and much more.  These are all important skills you’re learning outside of the classroom that you can add to your leadership toolbox.
4. Exposure to the diversity of our campus community – UNLV’s diverse student body is one of its greatest assets.  More than 85 of our RSOs exist to celebrate a specific culture or identity, advocate on behalf of marginalized groups, or to highlight the overall diversity of UNLV and its students.  Join an RSO that helps you find other students like you celebrate your culture.  Attend events put on by RSOs that create wide ranges of programs for heritage and awareness months.  Find support from others sharing your experiences.  Even if the organization you’re a part of isn’t primarily focused on diversity initiatives, the students who make up the membership of that organization will all look, think, and act differently from you. 
5. Learn how to work on a team – Student organizations are built for and operated by students.  And they don’t do it alone.  Successful organizations are a team effort.  Everyone in a student club plays a part in living the mission of that organization, achieving its goals, planning events, etc.  The ability to work productively on a team is one of the skills employers look most for in potential hires.  That is a skill that comes through practice and participating in an RSO is a great way to gain that experience.
6. Experience in your academic field of study – The time you spend involved in your student organization can be a great way to enhance what you’re learning in the classroom and provide experiences you may not otherwise had the opportunity to participate in.  Gain access to specialized machinery and equipment.  Attend guest lectures with prominent leaders in your intended career path.  Participate in immersive research experiences with academic faculty.  These are just a few examples of how membership in an RSO can help you gain experience in your academic major.
7. Career development – Employers want to see more than just academic excellence on your resume.  They are looking for soft skills like time management, the ability to run a meeting, and effective written and verbal communication.   The experiences and skills you gain in your involvement opportunities can be translated into meaningful content on your resume or in your cover letters.  When an interview question asks for you to provide examples of your experience you can lean on what you’ve done or gained through your RSO involvement.  Imagine an interviewer asks you to describe a time you did something very challenging.  Wouldn’t it be great if your answer could describe how you started a new student organization, recruited new members, wrote a mission statement and constitution, ran meetings, planned events, lead a team, mediated conflict, etc.  These skills and experiences can make you really stand out as a candidate when you’re job searching.
8. Networking opportunities – These networking opportunities exist on many levels.  The students you are members with now may be potential colleagues or interviewers in future years.  Attending a guest lecture or discussion from a professional in your field of choice may allow you to interact with that individual in a one-on-one setting that might help you get an internship or job later.  Mentoring opportunities you participate in now could help you find potential future investors when you start your own company.  Networking is an important part of the collegiate experience and can be vastly enhanced through your RSO memberships.
9. Give back to your community – Whether you think of community on a local or global level, joining a club or organization can provide opportunities for you to volunteer and serve others.  Many clubs and organizations at UNLV focus on community service and help you find volunteer opportunities that fit your interests.  In addition, many of our non-service focused organizations also engage in projects and initiatives that provide service to others.  Whether you take part in a day of service in the Las Vegas valley, become a mentor at a local elementary school, pack meals for individuals experiencing food insecurity, or participate in a non-partisan voter registration drive, you’re learning the value of service to others while engaging with your student organization.
10. Have fun! It may sound silly, but the importance of fun to our overall emotional and physical well-being shouldn’t be understated.  Even though it’s incredibly rewarding, college is hard.  Having fun along the way through your student organization memberships can make the experience even more enjoyable.