A barrage of booths representing different student clubs took over parts of the El Camino College campus this week as part of the Club Rush event spanning from Monday, Sept. 11 through Wednesday, Sept 13.
Meant as way for El Camino students to explore the options of clubs they can join, the three-day event took place on the Library Lawn Monday and Tuesday and in the Student Services Plaza on Wednesday.
Over 20 clubs were represented with interests varying from physics, women engineers, personal financing and film. The Union went out on the final day of Club Rush to get the campus’ view on the clubs.
President of the child development club Alondra Ortega said their club’s aim is to support the development of children in their communities.
“We are going to hold a playgroup for parents studying in our college and their children,” Ortega said. “The first Saturday of every month on the Library Lawn the club provides a play place for students who have children and provides a safe place where students can spend time with their children.”
The club hosts weekly meetings every Monday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Room 110 of the Behavioral and Social Science Building with an option to meet on Zoom for those unable to attend in-person.
The international club provides support for international students at El Camino. Members of this club can expect language exchange activities and game nights throughout the semester.
“We also welcome locals, so that we can learn more about American culture,” international club director Mary Calingasan said.
They will meet on the first three Thursdays of every month this semester in Room 204 in the Social Science Building.
The Puente club is a “Latinx center community’’ and “all inclusive,”club President Frank Marroquin said. They meet at the Social Justice Center every Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“We’re trying to help us people of color navigate the academic atmosphere and go and graduate,” he said.
The club tries to alleviate the anxiety coming from higher education, especially to underrepresented communities.
“I needed people who I could actually communicate my worries to,” Marroquin said. “I can talk about what I’m going through and they’re going through the same things.”
One new club to El Camino this year is the chess club. Student Ethan Flores stopped by the club’s booth after noticing a familiar board.
“I saw the chess board which interested me,” Flores said. “I was a previous chess instructor.”
The architecture club first began in 1989.
The club organizes field trips to engineering firms and hosts guest speakers who give advice to budding architects.
“In our club we inspire others to get involved in architecture including some of the models we create,” architecture club secretary Michael Lamberd said. “The next competition the team is preparing for is on Oct. 15th in Portland, Oregon.”
Club member and second-year student Lala Johnson says her interest in architecture has deep roots.
“My uncles are architects and I always watched them doing their jobs and it interested me,” Johnson said.
Staff writers: Kae Takazawa, Angela Osorio, Ivan Gonzalez, Joseph Ramirez, Nick Geltz and Angel Pasillas contributed to this story.
Editors: Nellie Eloizard, Johan Van Weir and Nasai Rivas contributed to this story.
