March 29, 2024

BY KELSEY HEELEY

Getting involved can be stressful for many reasons; it can be difficult to decide what you want to get involved in and how much spare time you can devote to the cause. However, fortunately for students, the Get Involved Fair is here to help.

The fair will be held at Doon campus this Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, the fair will be dedicated strictly to on-campus services and clubs such as the Student Life department and Respect Campaign, the marketing department, the First Generation Student Initiative, Right to Play and more.

On Thursday, the day is dedicated to off-campus services and organizations.  There will be approximately 30 organizations including Kids Ability, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Nutrition for Learning.

The Get Involved Fair is considered a tradition.

“When the Student Life department first opened in late 2006 it was one of our first events. It helped us amp up the importance of volunteerism because that’s one thing we are truly about. We want to connect students to meaningful opportunities to get involved on campus and out in the community,” said Ryan Connell, event planner.

The fair used to be held once a year, but in the last couple of years it has gotten so popular it is now held twice a year. Connell said so many organizations find such great value and success in the fair that most come back year after year. He added that the fair is always a huge hit with students and vendors alike.

“We know it’s been a success because we often get so many organizations that return each year and they see that Conestoga College is one of the best ways to recruit volunteers for their organizations,” he said.

When students graduate from Conestoga College or any other post-secondary institution and start looking for a career in their field, everyone is applying for these jobs at the same time.

The challenge comes when the person going through all these resumes keeps seeing the same thing over and over. Each resume will have the same post-secondary experience which is the bare minimum and essential for any position.

The question is, “How can I stand out?”

The answer is volunteering.

With everyone having the same experience, the person looking over the resumes will be looking for additional assets for the job. “It’s a chance for students to put themselves above and beyond,” said Connell.

By getting involved, you can develop great leadership skills, interpersonal skills and teamwork skills.

So, by going to the Get Involved Fair and getting some information on organizations that interest you, you are giving yourself the chance to build experience, self-esteem, self-confidence and your resume.