Students show school spirit at club fair, pep fest

Winona State University hosted a club fair and pep fest on Friday, Oct. 20 around the Gazebo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The club fair began with over 170 clubs participating. Many of them had different activities or food to draw in students.

One of the most popular booths was from the recreation, tourism and therapeutic recreation (RTTR) department. For only $2, anyone could throw a plate of pie and whipped cream into the face of an RTTR professor.

“We really want people to not be nervous to come check us out,” Rachel Michael, a senior recreational tourism major, said. “Being able to do something fun like this makes people interested and possibly want to learn more about us.

Other groups agreed, acknowledging how important the club fair is for students to be able to see what is available to them on campus.

Some Greek organizations, like Alpha Sigma Tau, handed out flyers to students, while others hosted fundraising opportunities, like the Humane Society selling baked goods.

Reed Johnson, a member of Delta Sigma Pi, hoped to gain new members from the fair.

“Delta Sigma Pi is a co-ed business fraternity, and we really want freshmen business students to know about us,” Johnson, a junior marketing major, said. “We want to connect students to internships and jobs as early as we can that will help them with their future.”

Other students who attended the fair were grateful for the chance to learn more about Winona State clubs, especially incoming or first-year students like public health major Erik Derby.

“I never would’ve known about a club like Full Spectrum before coming here,” Derby said. “I found out about them at the club fair at the be-

ginning of the year, and now it’s one of the things I look forward to most during the week.”

The club fair also gave parents and prospective students visiting the campus the chance to learn more about clubs and organizations.

“We want parents to know that we are here for their kids,” Megan Danielson, a first-year nursing major representing the Students Health and Wellness Advocates, said. “We are focusing today on different forms of birth control, but our organization does so much and we want people to know

we are a resource.”

While the club fair was in full swing, other events were going on as well. Walking tacos were served by members of the Winona State football team, and the Winona State Dance Team lead the Warrior Wobble Dance Party, followed by airbrush tattoos until the Homecoming Pep Fest began at 12 p.m.

At the pep fest, Winona State’s homecoming court gathered for photos, including homecoming royalty Grace Randles, a junior business administration and human resources major, and David Stampley Jr., a senior data science major.

Wazoo, Winona State’s mascot, danced with people and got his photo taken with willing participants. The homecoming planning committee ended the event by thanking all of the people who made it possible, and honoring the homecoming court for their demonstration of school spirit and camaraderie.