The Student Senate, in conjunction with the Latin American Student Organization, LASO, and Black Student Union, BSU, to show more about these organizations through a bowling event on Wednesday night in the Martin Luther King Jr University Union.

Aside from bowling, students interested in learning more about these organizations could win prizes like free homecoming t-shirts and air pods.

Kristal Muñoz, a junior criminology major, is the co-coordinator for Homecoming. The Homecoming committee is part of the University Board, UB.

While she says that planning big events like Homecoming can be overwhelming, it is nice to see Eastern come together for a little bit.

“It can be overwhelming at times, but I think it’s really rewarding,” Muñoz said. “Getting to see everybody come out and building that EIU spirit and making sure that kids kind of have a safe outlet out here to do fun things. This year, Homecoming is run around like the midterms era. We want to really hope that these events are something that could help students get away from their academic work, kind of forget about it for a little bit and enjoy their time here.”

Shariah Campbell, a graduate student in the health services administration program, is a graduate assistant for the Office of Inclusion and Academic Engagement. 

Campbell said that the Black Student Union has many positions, and even if someone is scared, they should go for a position.

“I would just say get out and get involved,” Campbell said. “When I first got here, I was really shy and quiet myself. But joining BSU, I feel like I can open up and grow more and become more vocal.”

Muñoz says that while it is easy to be scared to join something, taking that leap can lead to great things.

“I think my biggest advice is to take nerves as more of a good thing than a bad thing,” Muñoz said. “I know that it’s really easy to hold back from things because you’re nervous, but if anything, I think it actually inspires you and makes you work harder at it. Knowing that you’ve got these shoes to fill, and that you’re doing things that are going to count for the greater of the student body here, and that you’re going to be remembered for it now. I have students coming up to me and they’re like, ‘I see you all the time around here,’ and that feels rewarding. I also think that you shouldn’t let that scare you. And definitely just get out there… It’s really intimidating at first but I promise that it’ll ease up.”

Karolina Guzek, a sophomore political science major, helped out at the Student Government table. Guzek said that many students came up to her and seemed excited to join the senate.

Guzek also thinks that attending events like these helps students gain exposure to different RSOs on campus.

“I hope that students got more exposure to different RSOs on campus because a lot of people came to the Student Government table and they told us that they had no idea that Student Government existed,” Guzek said. “So I just hope that they get a lot of exposure to not only Student Government, but LASO, BSU and UB, so that they can express their creative outlets.”

Katja Benz can be reached at 581-2812 or at kkbenz@eiu.edu.