Clubs are a vital part of campus life here at Oklahoma Christian University. They give students a place to belong.
According to the Oklahoma Christian website, 39% of students are members of social service clubs on campus. The average social service club has between 10 and 15 officers to lead the club.
I am a social service club officer.
I was elected as an officer for 2014-2015 back in March. I spent hours this summer on the workload that my position demands and I’ve been very excited for the group of men that I have the chance to serve with this year.
To serve as an officer, just as any leadership role for any organized group of people, is tough. We make the tough calls. We determine if the club is exclusive to a certain number of people, or is open to all. We set the short-term and long-term goals. We paint our image. We tell someone that their personality is not a match for our club. We place responsibility on new members to uphold the expectations set by the club alumni.
Not every club member on this campus will be able to serve as an officer in his or her time at Oklahoma Christian. That, however, does not make the members of the club any less significant or valued than the officers.
Club has made a huge impact on my life in the two years that I’ve been part of one.
Club leadership, however, is challenging. You have to draw a line between friendships and professional relationships. Secrets are made, backs are turned and votes are cast.
But that’s leadership. Don’t think that your social club officers are dirty liars who betray all of the other members to form cults on campus.
For those of you who recently joined a club, enjoy the best years of your life with your new brothers and sisters. If you didn’t rush, that’s OK because club is not for everyone.
As a club officer, I am not set on a pedestal on the social scale. As a club member, I am no better than a non-club member.
I’m a social service club officer and these are my confessions.
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