Op-Ed
Clubs After College
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One Year Out
November 10, 2006 - 1:00amWhat time is it? It’s 6 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Despite the fact that the show is not for another twelve hours, the devoted crew of the Cornell Concert Commission is already awake, preparing for the evening’s performance. It’s 9 a.m. on the Friday morning of Orientation week. The team of volunteers places items which would have been thrown away at the end of the year for sale as part of “Dump and Run,” the profits of which will benefit local charities. It’s 6 p.m. the night before Student Assembly elections. The candidates are out in force, chalking the sidewalks as they campaign to represent the student body.
Regardless of the time of day, as students ,we set aside studying for these diversionary, yet rewarding activities. With over 700 organizations to choose from, we dove into a sea of opportunities to pursue our talents, interests and curiosities. In return for our time, these activities provided the opportunity to apply our knowledge, gain tangible hands-on skills and develop friendships. Not a bad trade-off.
Many of us found the activities so rewarding that when graduation arrived, we naturally transitioned from club to profession. This was the case for Jason Levine ’06, who drew from his organizational skills from Concert Commission and Jewish engagement experience in Cornell Hillel to work for Hillel at the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. Similarly, Lauren Jacobs ’05, who founded “Dump and Run,” now works for FSG Social Impact Advisors, a consulting firm that advises nonprofits and corporate philanthropy programs. Lauren’s philanthropic involvement cultivated her interest in the social sector and provided the experience she needed to pursue it further. “My extracurricular activities helped cultivate leadership skills that have been very useful [in my career],” she explained. And for Ben Rockey-Harris ’04 who was involved in campus politics, he is now working for the Arizona Democratic Party. “I’m here because I joined the Cornell Democrats, unquestionably,” he said. These activities, which previously occupied time outside of class, now fill entire days.
Not all of us, however, have transitioned from club to career. Some continue to pursue studies as graduate students, others, a career tailored more towards their major. What all of us share in common, for the most part, is that we were involved outside of our academic commitments in college. Once we graduate, what will enrich our lives in a similar way to the role that clubs played in college? Even for those who transitioned from club to career, we seek an outside source to supplement our experiences just as clubs embodied that pivotal role in college. In what direction can we direct our talents, interests and curiosities now?
We can start with what we know well —Cornell. Alumni clubs can feel like all of the 700 student organizations in one. Last week, at our BAR (Big Apple Red) young alumni committee meeting, we brainstormed ideas for walking tours, museum trips and dodge ball intramurals. In return for our time, we can apply knowledge, gain skills and develop friendships. “I joined the BAR Committee to continue the event-planning activities I started with the Class of 2006 Council,” said Brennan Veys ’06, “I made new friends just from attending the committee meeting!”
We can maintain connections with organizations we developed ties to while at Cornell. For Shoshannah Lenski ’06 who was involved with Teva, the Jewish nature club, and was awarded the Udall Scholarship, she continues her commitment by serving on the Cornell Jewish Connection alumni group and the steering committee of the Udall Foundation. “Being involved with these groups is really important to me — they provide a welcome and necessary occasional diversion from work,” she said, despite her intense schedule at the Boston Consulting Group.
Drawing from our club experiences at Cornell, we seek similar opportunities in the real world. Jennifer Fabrinni ’06 hopes to volunteer as a tutor on Chicago’s west side and join an Ultimate Frisbee team, similar to her activities at Cornell. “I want to be involved with other activities besides work for the same reason that I was involved while at Cornell,” she said. “I don’t see being active as something that only students can do. Everyone has the choice to get involved with their community — and doing so can add a lot to a person’s life.”
Even with hectic schedules, we can build these activities into our lives. Despite working long hours in finance at JP Morgan, Anjali Paranjpe ’04 realized she could “participate in a volunteer program through work called Project Live,” she said. The mentoring program brings students to her office and “allows those of us who have unpredictable, long hours to step away from our desks for a few hours to give back to the community” she explained.
Staying involved in clubs may mean starting with one organization rather than the three or four we were involved with at Cornell. Ahmed Mousa ’06 recognized this as he began Georgetown Law School this fall. “I was selective in choosing the groups I would join,” he explained, starting with one organization to enrich his life outside of the classroom.
After graduation, we have more to do with a smaller window of opportunity. While adjusting to our new responsibilities takes time, if we wait too long, we may grow restless. If we approach our involvement as freshmen to the real world, we can start by exploring our interests for thirty minutes a week, gradually picking one meeting to attend a month, and one organization to call our own in three months. We will quickly see how easy it is to pick up right where we left off. Admittedly, moving forward, we will not always be able to set aside our work for concert preparations, charity events or campaigns, but there will be different opportunities with similar rewards.
What time is it? It’s time to look back at all we gained from our student organizations and bring that same fulfillment into our new lives. Why should we stop when we graduate, when we should only be getting started.
Julia Levy ’05 graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2005. She currently works as a Research Assistant at Tanner & Co., Inc. She can be contacted at jml82@cornell.edu. One Year Out appears alternate Fridays.