The Student Government Association (SGA) at Stevens plays a crucial role in our campus life, overseeing the creation and approval of new student-led organizations. This year, student engagement has increased significantly, resulting in 28 new club applications submitted for review, a sign of rapidly growing interest in expanding extracurriculars on campus.
The SGA’s mission to “advocate for the undergraduate student body” and “enhance the student experience” serves as a meaningful tool for the Stevens community, connecting students with faculty and staff while working to enhance campus life. It provides a space for students to share ideas, take on leadership roles, and help shape their college experience. This year’s rise in applications brings more voices and perspectives, allowing the SGA to better support the community and ensure that everyone feels welcome and included.
Ranging from academic clubs to culture/religious and even hobby-based clubs, the SGA has a lot to offer its students, and these clubs reflect the diverse passions of the student body. Stevens students are always striving for more, as reflected by the 28 new applications this semester, most of them being first-year students.
Sebastian Sztolberg, the current Vice President of Student Interest (VPSI) for the SGA, expressed enthusiasm about the exceptional rise in applications this year. He views this as a positive development that will only strengthen the SGA. “It’s exciting to see more students eager to start new clubs and get involved!” he said. The SGA has recently implemented a new process for approving new clubs, and it is even more thorough and structured than before. “The process this year is built on last year’s, but with slight modifications to help make it as easy as possible for applying student organizations.”
Students begin by submitting a proposal through Ducklink, outlining their vision, key ideas, and what sets their club apart from existing organizations. Once submitted, the application moves to the voting stage, where the SGA evaluates its potential impact on campus life before making a final decision. Sztolberg also emphasizes the SGA’s determination to allow each club organization a “fair chance of being reviewed as individuals,” without being compared to other applying organizations.
Asked why he believes the amount of applications has increased significantly in the past year, Sztolberg said, “I think it’s because these clubs reflect the diverse interests of our student body, and how so many people are willing to spread their passions and hobbies to the campus.” New clubs such as a rocketry club, an artificial intelligence club, a structural engineering club, a Greek cultural club, and many more are in the process of being implemented by students. Their next step is to submit videos to be reviewed by the VPSI and Office of Student Life before moving forward.
The overall increase in applications is a testament to the recognition of the importance of extracurricular involvement in shaping a well-rounded student experience. Sztolberg emphasized, “It’s important to me that all of our students are allowed a chance to pursue their hobbies and seek to make campus as all-encompassing as possible.” Student organizations are essential to the campus community. Stevens students are eager to connect with peers and grow individually and collectively.
“If academics are the brain of Stevens, then I believe that student organizations are the heart of Stevens, and they provide the best avenues for our students to pursue what they love,” Sztolberg says. The heart of Stevens beats through our diverse, student-led organizations.
