By Morgan Brown / Full360 reporter

Standing In the University of Dayton arena, Kyra Schwarz and fellow teammates of South Brunswick High School Eagerly awaited the name of their team “Visual Ensemble” be called as they counted down from 25th place in the World Championships of Color Guard. It was Schwarz’s senior year of high school finally getting to compete in the WGI world championship finals. They all wait in anticipation as each name gets called when eighth place goes to “visual ensemble”. They all sit in disbelief at what they all just accomplished. Schwarz said, “It was one of the coolest experiences that I have ever experienced.” 

While at Delaware Valley University 2022 alumna Kyra Schwarz continued the community bonding experience from her high school days creating a community of her own by starting a color guard club on our campus. The community in Color Guard is why she believes that having liberal arts clubs on campus is a necessity to keeping students engaged with the university. When asked her thoughts on having liberal arts clubs on campus Schwarz said, “They are really important so that way people can still do the fun activities they did when they were younger.”  Schwarz said, “It really connects with people and you form bonds by having that mutual activity that you get together and do things together.” 

Having clubs on campus opens opportunities for growth and friendships leading to less of the isolation feeling when joining and bonding with your peers. There is a vast majority of club options on campus including but not limited to, band, choir,  drama club, media club, literature clubs, canvas for creativity, and film club.  

When asked her thoughts on having liberal arts clubs on campus Hannah Citron a Zoo Science Major and film club president on campus said, 

“Having that avenue for them to be able to express their interests and find other people that are like them is really important on any campus but especially on an agricultural campus because of the fact that there aren’t as many people with that same shared interest.”

Both Citron and Schwarz mentioned the sense of belonging and community are key roles of these clubs on campus. Tying in the student journal Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education if students participating in extracurriculars are less likely to drop out, Citron and Schwarz make the point that community and bonding in these clubs do the same. 

Beginning her freshman year Schwarz felt a longing for the extracurriculars she previously made so many fond memories in and joined the Delaware Valley University color guard. In this club, they made routines to try to start competing again and really worked hard to teach newcomers and welcome skilled individuals who have already participated in color guard. 

A scholarly journal titled Student Involvement: A Developmental Theory for Higher Education wrote, “The longitudinal study also showed that students who join social fraternities or sororities or participate in extracurricular activities of almost any type are less likely to drop out.” 

“Having a passion about something and being able to express that passion in the way that you want….clubs on an agricultural campus is like finding that thing you love and being able to share it with others.”