Be Involved at Purdue


Once you are settled at Purdue, it is a great idea to get involved with organizations around campus. With over 1,000 student organizations, Purdue has a group for any and every interest you could ever imagine. During the new student orientation program called Boiler Gold Rush, there is an event called the “Be Involved Fair”. At this event, all of the clubs and organizations on campus set up booths with information, making it easy for new students to walk around and see what everyone has to offer. Students can talk to each club or organization and gather information until they decide what they are interested in joining.  Below are some examples of the opportunities available.

Academic Organizations

There are many organizations at Purdue that are centered around your major, which can be helpful with networking for an internship and also for seeking advice from your peers. There are many different engineering specific organizations at Purdue, including PESC and SWE (described below).

Purdue Engineering Student Council (PESC) 
PESC organizes and runs the largest engineering career fair at Purdue, Industrial Roundtable (IR). The planning of an event of this caliber is a great opportunity to network with company representatives. Find out more about PESC at http://www.purdueesc.org/.

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
SWE is a national organization that works to provide opportunities to help promote change for women in STEM fields, specifically engineering. SWE is a great organization to be involved with because of the opportunities that arise such as networking events between college students and professionals or the opportunity to attend the National SWE Conference. Find out more about Purdue SWE at https://www.purdueswe.org/.

Athletic Organizations

Purdue is a Big Ten school with large varsity sport teams, but you don't have to be a top athlete to participate in athletics at Purdue! There are so many opportunities to stay active during college, and Purdue makes it easy for you to find your place. The Recreational Sports Center (CoRec) is a great facility with many activities and programs. Below are two examples of athletic organizations at Purdue.

Club Sport Teams
Joining a club sports team is a popular option for those who are interested in playing competitive sports in college. Club sports offer the close-knit team interactions as well as high level competition against other institutions. Purdue offers 30+ club sports. Click the link below to see a full list.

Intramurals
If you love sports and want to stay active in college, intramurals is a great option for you. With more than 40 sport offerings, the Intramural sports program provides the opportunity for Purdue students to join individual and/or team leagues. Intramural leagues occur year round ranging from soccer to wallyball to inner tube water polo to flag football. It is a great way to stay active as well as to meet fellow Boilermakers!

My Kappa Alpha Theta indoor MAC soccer team wins the Intramural winter league!

Social Organizations

Purdue offers a variety of social organizations, a great opportunity to meet new friends and expand your Boilermaker network. There are so many organizations and clubs that range people's interests whether it's DanceSport, a club that promotes the competitive sport of ballroom dancing, or the Disney Appreciation Club, or even the Guitar Club. Two examples of social organizations are explained below.

Greek Life
Greek life is another organization that many Purdue students are involved in. Joining a sorority allows women to meet and socialize with other women who share a common interest. The Greek community is extremely supportive and the resources available are endless. Greek life provides numerous networking, philanthropy, social and academic events, so you will never be bored! 

Ski and Snowboard Club
As a very specific example, I am involved in the Ski and Snowboard Club at Purdue. Every year, there are a variety of ski trips offered that Purdue students can attend. Joining this club was a great way for me to meet other people who have similar interests. If you have a hobby or an interest, Purdue definitely has a club, you just have to find it!

My friends and I on the Ski and Snowboarding Club trip to Keystone, CO over winter break.
If you have any questions about the organizations or clubs offered at Purdue, please reach out to us!

-Written by Abby Trusler


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