Staff Excellence: Student Activities and Organizations

You can almost feel the buzz of activity that surges on Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus at the start of each fall semester. Innumerable opportunities await new and returning Boilermakers as they navigate the maze of brick buildings, eager to expand their network and form new connections. For many, the journey begins with joining one of the nearly 1,000 clubs supported by Student Activities and Organizations (SAO).

A team of 11 drives the efforts of SAO, which aims to strengthen the university’s educational mission by offering engaging programs, gathering places and services that enrich students’ lives and help create connections and memories that extend far beyond students’ years at Purdue.

“Whether they’re a first-year student, a transfer student or a graduate student, we just want to help them get involved and get engaged, and a lot of times that’s with a student organization,” says Martia King, director of student involvement in the SAO office. “Once students are engaged within the campus, they’re more likely to stay and continue on, so we want to make sure they’re connected.”

Although each club is operated and led by Purdue students, King and her team work behind the scenes to ensure every student organization can grow, thrive and succeed, no matter its mission. Part of that growth rests on student organizations’ participation in the B-Involved Fair, an annual event hosted in part by SAO that allows students to learn about and connect with different clubs. This year more than 450 student organizations will be set up at the France A. Córdova Recreational Sports Center, ready to welcome thousands of incoming students.

SAO also plays a key role in overseeing and approving all activities hosted by student organizations. On average, these staff members assess 7,000-9,000 event planning forms each year to ensure that student organizations host safe events that adhere to the risk management guidelines developed by the group and other campus partners.

But they’re not just approving activities and events; they’re planning them, too. Each semester the team hosts a variety of workshops and sessions focused on enhancing student organization officers’ leadership and conflict management skills. Events often feature speakers, information on crucial grant opportunities and a steady stream of advice from SAO staff members, underscoring their strong commitment to fostering student growth and success. 

“Everyone in our space is student-centered,” King says. “Student organizations all have a mission of some sort, and we’re really just helping them live that mission. They all have different and unique goals, and we just want them to be successful. We have real conversations on finances and how to manifest their dream.”

That student-centered approach also shines through in their work advising some of the tradition-based student organizations across campus. Groups like Purdue Student Government, Old Masters, Rising Professionals, Mortar Board and the Purdue Student Union Board are all advised by Student Organizations and Activities team members, who offer informed advice to guide them through any challenges or opportunities.

SAO team members are avid problem solvers always looking for ways to improve their operations. Recently, they sat down and talked through easy fixes to small inconveniences, like adding smaller, easy-to-carry speakers to their lending locker that students won’t have trouble transporting. Or handing out snack bags to organization officers during quiet week instead of finals week to maximize the number of students they can serve.

“I love the openness and the candid conversations on our team,” King says. “Whether we’re idea generating, working through frustrations or just answering random, out of the park questions, we’re always finding ways to help students.”

The group is also extending their efforts to  students taking courses in Indianapolis, where more than 60 student organizations are preparing for the start of the fall semester. As they work alongside that team to assist with program and leadership development, their primary goal is to ensure all Boilermakers are involved and engaged, no matter the location.

Though the heart of their work lies in supporting student groups, King’s team also regularly meets one-on-one with students to help them find their place at Purdue. Whenever a prospective, new or returning Boilermaker walks through their office doors, they’re ready to talk through each student’s experience and match them with an opportunity that could transform their time on campus. 

Above all else, this group strives to facilitate positive, memorable experiences for all Boilermakers. Their work makes it possible for Purdue to cultivate a connected campus community where every student has the opportunity to grow, thrive and succeed.

“We want to be able to ensure they have the resources needed to be successful,” King says. “That will always be the goal.”