Engineering clubs offer students opportunities to stay connected
In October, student club Leaders in Engineering and Computer Science (LECS) participated in the university’s annual Meet the Clubs event, normally a lively in-person gathering where students can explore all of the amazing clubs the university has to offer and make new friends in the process. LECS’s primary aim is to encourage collaboration between the many clubs that exist in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, as well as provide support and act as a liaison between the clubs and CSUN. Forced to respond to the pandemic’s restrictions, LECS board members were initially unsure if a virtual format could be successful in helping clubs attract new members. LECS president Jocelyn Mata, a junior majoring in computer science, knew they had to try.
LECS participated in a Mini Meet the Clubs Week virtually from Oct. 12-16. Fourteen clubs from the College of Engineering and Computer Science were given time slots over Zoom to present and get to know prospective members. The virtual format had an unexpected upside: With students no longer bound by on-campus availability, participation in the event soared. Around 300 students joined sessions over the course of a week, compared with 30-40 each day when held in person. The virtual format was a success. Mata understood, firsthand, how student clubs enrich the academic experience. Before joining LECS in 2019, she often felt isolated in her male-dominated engineering and computer science classes. She learned about LECS from a mentor and quickly became involved. The club gave her an opportunity to meet other women and students of color with similar interests. That sense of community gave her newfound confidence to pursue her career — and a mission to help others find their paths.
“I want other students, especially freshmen and transfer students, to know about the opportunities to get involved,” Mata said. “They can gain a lot of valuable experiences through clubs that can help open doors in the future.”
LECS leaders hope to replicate the success of the virtual Meet the Clubs in the spring with a virtual Engineers Week featuring panels and workshops with professors and industry leaders.
