October 2008

News of a free lunch spread across campus like wildfire. Before long, hundreds of students had gathered outside the Clyde building and found themselves participants in the Fulton College of Engineering and Technology's annual "Club Rush." Amidst the mass of hungry freshmen looking for a free meal were the few for whom this event was intended—students of the Fulton College looking to enhance their educational experience by joining one of more than 20 student engineering and technology organizations that were recruiting at the event.

"Last summer I had an amazing internship opportunity which only came because I was a member of SME [the Society of Manufacturing Engineers]," said Michael Loftus, a senior studying Manufacturing Engineering Technology. "Now I'm out here helping recruit others, so that they can have the same kind of experiences."

Loftus, and the dozens of other students who volunteered their time to recruit new club members, were excited at the prospect of meeting students like sophomore Enrique Hernandez of Hidalgo, Mexico.

"I'm just getting started in the program," Hernandez said. "I know I want to go into civil engineering, but there are so many different categories within that. I came here hoping to talk to some different groups and find out which one sounds like the best fit for me."

Many students came with similar desires: younger students looking for direction and fun and interesting ways to supplement their classroom education, upperclassmen looking for networking opportunities before they graduate—and they all left satisfied.

For more information on how you can get involved in a club, visit the Engineering and Technology Student Council (ETSC) web site at etsc.et.byu.edu.

Writer: Nathan Casper