Manatee medicine, fashion shows and cooking competitions: How you can get involved at UF
UF’s Student Engagement organizations provide Gators with the opportunity to make friends and learn
UF’s list of student organizations includes well over 1,000 members and other clubs on campus that are not funded by student government. Here’s a closer look at some active student organizations.
American Meteorological Society at UF
The American Meteorological Society at UF is a branch of a national group of the same name. The organization, which was revived in 2021 after a 10-year hiatus due to low membership, lobbied for the introduction of a meteorology major at UF and succeeded in offering it beginning in the fall.
The club is particularly active during hurricane season and holds monthly meetings, field trips to weather stations and weather balloon launches. The club also provides students with internship and scholarship opportunities in the field of meteorology.
The club meets to watch the tornado film “Twisters“ September 13th.
“If (students) are interested in weather and meteorology, we want them to join the club, regardless of their interest level,” said Michael Self, a 22-year-old final-year meteorology and geography student at UF and president of AMS-UF.
Culinary Arts Student Association
The Culinary Arts Student Union teaches students about cooking techniques and the sociology of food.
CASU President Gabriella Hamilton, a 21-year-old senior in English at UF, said experimenting with unfamiliar cuisines is a unique and interactive way to spark cultural conversations.
“(CASU) is a place where all cultures are represented in a way that can be taught and used to bring groups of people together,” Hamilton said.
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CASU showcases cuisine from around the world at its meetings and offers cooking classes on specific themes, including Caribbean, Ukrainian and Egyptian cuisine. CASU plans to offer classes on Colombian cuisine and soul food this fall, as well as a cooking competition on October 1 inspired by the Food Network series “Chopped.”
Participation in the cooking courses is free, but the offer is limited.
English Society
The English Society invites English and non-English students to engage in literature and the humanities. Club president Tristan Krammel said the club introduces literary themes and discussions with its members at its meetings. Guest speakers, namely UF English professors, also participate.
“(The club) is simply an opportunity for people who are interested in the humanities to participate and exchange interesting knowledge,” Krammel said.
The English Society also runs professional development workshops, which include activities such as research proposal preparation and an annual English Studies Spring Conference at which students present personal research projects.
Florida’s law journal for students
The Florida Undergraduate Law Review is a student-run journal for law students that publishes student-written articles. The articles cover legal topics that help students develop their research and writing skills.
The FULR articles covered topics ranging from climate refugee law to the implementation of artificial intelligence in the legal system.
“We are a very loving organization and very open to helping you develop,” said the club’s co-executive director, Abraham Hilu, a 25-year-old final-year political science student at UF.
Hispanic-Latino Student Association
The Hispanic-Latine Student Association informs its members about political events, career opportunities, and other cultural organizations while providing an opportunity to meet other Hispanic students.
“The main appeal (for HSA) is the community,” said HSA President Matthew Urra, a 21-year-old senior studying political science and economics at UF. “It’s for the people, many of whom are Latino and Hispanic.”
HSA plans to educate students about the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on campus and to educate them about civic literacy and voting rights. HSA also plans to host social events, such as a picnic in Plaza of the Americas. The date is yet to be announced.
Club for Veterinary Medicine
The Pre-Veterinary Medicine Club provides students with experience in the veterinary field. Events have included manatee surgery, guest speaker events, and trips to conferences and symposiums. The club plans to host a local veterinarian as a guest speaker and hold a workshop on horse handling in the fall.
“Our club offers a lot of hands-on activities,” said club president Alexandra Adamo, a 20-year-old third-year student in UF’s wildlife ecology and conservation major. “If you really want to get an idea of what the veterinary field is like, we do a really good job of preparing students for that and also providing them with a community to fall back on.”
Society of Physics Students
The Society of Physics Students offers physics courses and workshops to develop students’ professional skills. The club hosts a Coffee Cookie Time, a weekly gathering of students to share homemade cookies and coffee before the physics department’s Thursday colloquium sessions in Room 1002 of the Physics Building. Any student, regardless of major, can join the club.
“There are many ways to get interested in physics, whether it’s in botany, engineering or astrophysics,” says club treasurer Monique Kubovsky, a 20-year-old third-year physics and mathematics student at UF.
Mode at UF
Fashion is UF’s student-run fashion club that brings together fashion-conscious students to explore their creative interests and express themselves through style.
Mode hosts a monthly meet-up and social and workshop where topics such as sewing and upcycling can be covered. Mode hosts fashion shows where members can design and show off their outfits. Last year’s show, Folklore, was based around traditional stories from the area of Eastern European folklore.
“Fashion organizations sound intimidating. Yes, you can expect people to come in cool outfits,” said fashion vice president Nathaniel Parkes, a 20-year-old final-year linguistics and computer science student at UF. “But it’s often these people who, when you actually talk to them, are super down-to-earth.”
Contact Avery Parker at [email protected]. Follow him on X @AveryParke98398.
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