Being involved in a registered student organization (RSO) is an aspect of college life that many Ferris students experience.
A RSO is a group of Ferris students with a similar interest in an activity, subject or cause.
Ferris has over 200 RSO’s, so finding one that sparks interest should be fairly easy.
Some unique RSOs with great involvement are Colleges Against Cancer, Bulldog Radio and the FSU Outdoor Club.
“Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) aims to raise awareness of cancer as well as celebrating those that have been diagnosed or have felt the impact of cancer,” CAC president and music industry management junior Travis Hodder said. “Overall, the one thing all members have in common is passion in the fight against cancer.”
The main event CAC participates in is the annual Relay for Life, which raised around $36,000 for the American Cancer Society in April.
“CAC is an excellent RSO to get involved with because it revolves around such a great cause,” Hodder said. “It’s a great way to make friends while also getting involved on campus and accomplishing some very powerful things.”
Hodder is also the co-president of Bulldog Radio, along with psychology freshman Jackie Charette.
“Our mission is to provide our listeners with a well-rounded array of music and information resource options,” Charette said, “as well as providing mobile DJ services for Ferris RSO’s and faculty.”
Bulldog Radio welcomes students from all majors and the only requirement to join is a love for music.
By setting up equipment and hosting mobile events, Bulldog Radio plays music for students on campus and the Big Rapids community.
“Bulldog Radio brings people together with a common bond of loving music,” Charette said. “It exposes students of Ferris to a diverse selection of music and gives our members an opportunity to express themselves on air.”
Ferris Campus airs Bulldog Radio live on channel 21 and for Mecosta County it’s found on channel 98. Bulldog Radio holds weekly meetings at 6:30 p.m. on Mondays in FLITE 135.
Another RSO offered at Ferris is the FSU Outdoor Club for individuals with a passion for the great outdoors.
“The FSU Outdoor Club is a fun and exciting student led organization whose mission is to encourage and promote environmentally friendly participation in outdoor recreation,” FSU Outdoor Club president and pre-physical therapy sophomore Aaron Biever said.
The Outdoor Club is an option to explore for adventurous students who enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, skiing and a variety of other outdoor activities.
This organization also aims to provide insight and awareness of the environment through community service projects and campus-community outreach programming, according to Biever.
Each semester, the FSU Outdoor Club participates in the building and maintenance of various trails throughout the Manistee National Forest alongside the U.S. Forest Service.
“At the heart of our group is just a giant group of friends that like to do as many activities as they can, all while supporting the outdoors we love at the same time,” Biever said.
Anyone wanting to get a sense of the great outdoors through the FSU Outdoor Club can contact Aaron at bievera@nullferris.edu.
Those wishing to join CAC in the fall can email Hodder at hoddert@nullferris.edu for meeting times and locations.