By Janeth Jaimes  |Staff Writer|

Involving yourself in the campus community by volunteering in clubs and organizations is crucial because you can gain educational experience while working with others.

It can be difficult for many students to grasp how valuable clubs or organizations are and the connections they provide.

Many students, myself included, have a lot of responsibilities outside of school, but we need to prepare ourselves to be ready for the professional fields we are entering.

Being a member of an academic club can greatly improve the odds of landing a prestigious internship and or a job.

I am in the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS), an organization on campus that helps students develop leadership skills as well as discover and achieve their goals.

NSLS has helped me dedicate my focus into the goals I see myself accomplishing in the future and also build a network with other people.

In our Success Network Team (SNT) meetings, we work on our goals and help guide each other by offering many different ideas for accomplishing them.

There are more than 100 unique clubs and organizations on campus that can suit your interest.

For example, there are volunteering programs, book clubs, environmental clubs, just to name a few.

You can learn about any club on campus by visiting the Student Leadership and Development (SLD) office in the Student Union.

SLD works to provide a fun and safe environment for students by supporting student created clubs and organizations.

They create on-going workshops and advising sessions to provide educational, social, host guest speaker led discussions, and recreational experiences that enrich students. SLD has many fresh and new ideas that continue to make CSUSB an exciting campus in which students can learn and grow.

Joining a club or organization offers students opportunities to challenge themselves with new responsibilities while also involving themselves within the campus community through interaction with others.

Club officers and committee chairs gain leadership skills that have tremendous value in their professional careers after graduation.

“I am hoping to help the members as well as the community. I want to empower the members by exposing them to the struggles within our community,” said NSLS community service chair Maria Barragan.

Barragan has become more involved in the campus community and is learning skills and techniques of how to be an effective leader.

Clubs or organizations offer benefits such as scholarships, letters of recommendation, and interactions with professional success coaches or advisers.

Some organizations allow students the opportunity to earn an honor cord, which demonstrate student dedication.

Students can develop a sense of belonging by spending time with others who have similar or differing interests.

By becoming involved in campus clubs or organizations students will gain personal as well as beneficial occupation related experience.