On Monday and Tuesday, the Associated Students of Moorpark College held their annual Club Rush event along Raider Walk, featuring more than 40 campus clubs and a range of accessible student services.

Club Rush showcased an array of clubs and services, including the Psychology Club, Ice Hockey Club, Nature’s Finest Club and Extended Opportunity Programs and Services. Each club and service set up informative booths where students could explore their offerings and sign up if interested.

The event also featured both a food truck and an ice cream truck, generously providing students with refreshments. To sweeten the deal, students could acquire a paper “passport” and collect signatures after visiting two clubs and one student service in exchange for a food item or an ice cream treat free of charge.

The hard work that goes into organizing and hosting such an event does not diminish its importance for the campus, according to ASMC Director of Student Services, Pearl Spaho.

“Club Rush is very important since you can see all the clubs and student services physically, like you can just spontaneously go up to a table, learn about them and see clubs that you might not even know that we had,” Spaho said.

One standout moment at Club Rush was the remarkable response to the Wizards Club, which attracted an estimated 50 new sign-ups during the event.

Issac Soles, a second-year computer science major, is newly appointed president of Wizards Club this year. Soles expressed appreciation for the inclusivity and sense of community that events like Club Rush foster on campus.

“I think people are excited to finally find other people who are also interested in playing games, like Dungeons and Dragons, on campus,” Soles said. “These games bring a sense of community, and now we are here trying to make a bigger space than Wizards Club has ever had before.”

Officers of Wizards Club enjoyed conducting outreach with potential club members for fresh ideas to implement within their organization.

“We like hearing from the students about what they want in our club,” Soles explained. “We plan to have mini-games that only span an hour or two just to introduce people to the games. We also plan to host workshops for beginners, so people that haven’t even heard of these games before and don’t know where to start have a chance to get rolling.”

Club Rush also introduced a new feature this year – a Facilities Vision Plan project hosted by Gensler, a global design and architecture firm. Chidimma Abuka, a strategist at Gensler, explained the firm’s aim to gather insights from students regarding the campus improvements they envision.

“We are here to partner with the college to try to understand what is needed regarding facilities so that the buildings and spaces can be well utilized for students, faculty and staff,” Abuka explained. “Today, there’s a total of five interactive boards so that the students can really tell us their experiences now, and what their future expectations are regarding the school.”

Gensler positioned five boards along Raider Walk, each posing thought-provoking questions. These questions included inquiries about students’ favorite and least favorite spots on campus, their preferred routes to classes and a brainstorming board to compile a list of 100 ideas for enhancing the overall campus experience.

For students who were unable to attend Club Rush, Gensler still encourages all Moorpark College students to take the Education Engagement Survey to voice their opinions on the campus. The 15-minute questionnaire will remain active until Oct. 10, 2023.

“I think that students should be bold and not be afraid to say what they need because it helps them today, and it will help future generations as well,” Abuka said. “You spend a lot of time here, so this almost becomes your second home, so don’t be afraid to share your thoughts or experiences, good or bad, because it all informs us to help you be better students and better citizens.”

Club Rush continues to be a cornerstone event for the Moorpark College campus, serving as a vital platform for fostering peer connections, extending student services and simultaneously offering students an enjoyable and engaging environment.