Congratulations! You have been accepted to UCLA’s (insert name here) campus organization. Now please take out your checkbook.
For some students, joining a group is the beginning and end of their participation in that organization. They make the grades, fill out the applications, attend the interviews, pray that such-and-such honor society accepts them, and pay the hefty fee to gain membership. Now that their resumes have been properly padded with numerous names of prestigious organizations, they convince themselves that they have taken advantage of every opportunity of joining a club.
Sadly, they are only fooling themselves.
Students pay a lot of money to join particular school organizations and honor societies. But they rarely take the time to participate in the events these clubs have to offer.
For instance, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) and Phi Beta Lambda are two such organizations that charge annual membership fees of $40 and $50, respectively, in addition to other requirements for membership. Both are prestigious organizations that not only help other students in the community but also enhance students’ networking capabilities.
Yet many of those who join on paper, by money and in name, only see the superficial benefits of becoming members. But simply boasting about membership does no good for either the organization or the student.
For instance, AMSA is a group known and established nationwide due to its excellence in providing service to the community and firsthand experience of working in the medical field. Founded as a premedical association, it volunteers hours of interaction with seniors and children to inform people about better nutrition and living conditions. It also provides prospective medical students with information on health care reform bills, medical regulations and advice on the MCAT.
Moreover, it is nationally recognized for its ability to showcase and develop student leaders and has forged close relations with well-known medical schools through the MCAT and admissions division of the Association of American Medical Colleges and provides access to the Pfizer Medical School Manual to better prepare students for acceptance to medical schools.
The AMSA chapter at UCLA received an honorable mention for its Universal Health Care Fair held on campus in January 2007, featuring pamphlets and posters regarding the dilemmas of the uninsured and our health care system.
Similarly, Phi Beta Lambda, also known as the Future Business Leaders of America, is a well-known organization that provides networking and opportunities for expansion in various careers. It serves as a junction for leadership in the external business world and academic study inside the classroom. Furthermore, the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor recognize the organization for its outstanding curriculum of activities, which include conferences for business solutions at the State and Federal Leadership Councils.
Despite all these positive and inspiring opportunities, some of those who become members fail to adequately take advantage of these more fulfilling and promising activities.
Such organizations not only raise awareness about educational and business-related issues that occur, but also give a sense of accomplishment to those who take the time to participate in their events.
These groups do not charge these fees simply to fill their own pockets. Rather, they use member fees to continually improve and provide better opportunities for those who have worked so hard to gain membership status.
Students primarily sign up so that some of the prestige of such committees rubs off on them. However, they do not realize that if member participation decreases, the reputation that these groups established will only diminish, defeating the purpose of joining in the first place.
Bringing such organizations to a campus adds to the standing of the university. If students do not participate in the groups they join, not only do they throw their money away, but they also fail to enhance UCLA’s tradition of excellence and leadership.
These organizations also serve as a way to bring college students together to make UCLA seem a bit smaller. In case you ever get lost on campus, you can be sure that you have a friend to show you the way to class.
If you have reasons for participating in campus organizations at UCLA, please e-mail Tehrani at ntehrani@media.mail.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.