The Scoop on SGU Student Organizations: Why You Should Get Involved
Are you involved in one of St. George’s University’s many active student organizations?
There are nearly 80 clubs to choose from, and the organizations offer students a great way to make friends, feel a greater sense of community, and connect to others with shared passions. With each having a unique mission and regular activities, the clubs present ample opportunities to get involved on campus by joining groups centered on different areas of student life.
“There’s a lot of value in getting involved in student organizations,” said Claire Purcell, director of university campus life at SGU. “They’re a great source of support as students progress through their degree programs, not only for professional development but also to help them adjust to campus life and thrive during their time here. There’s an organization for every interest, and if there isn’t, students can create a new one!”
A few of the organizations SGU has available for students to join include the Business Students Association, the Student Chapter of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the American Medical Student Association, Women in Medicine, Pride and Equality, the Nursing Student Association, and multiple cultural organizations to name a few.
Recently, several new organizations established themselves across campus, joining the already diverse list of club offerings. SGU News spoke with four of them to find out more.
The Creative Arts Society (CAS)
Mission statement: To advance the extrinsic, intrinsic, and artistic evolution of all members through the production and presentation of art, and the arrangement of interactive art-related events and activities.
Number of current members: 85
Open to: All SGU students
How to join: CAS Membership Form.
Upcoming events/announcements:
- February: Talent show in collaboration with the Exotic Wildlife Society’s Avian Club
- March: Music concert
- April: World Art Day Exhibition in partnership with the International Student’s Office.
Contact: SO-CAS@sgu.edu or @cas_sgu on Instagram.
St. George’s University: If you had to describe your organization in three words, what would they be?
CAS: Creative, connected, and community.
SGU: Why did you create this organization?
CAS: It is possible to excel in both artistic and academic pursuits, and students should feel empowered to follow all their passions. This is the ideology that CAS was built upon.
SGU: What are your goals for 2023?
CAS: This year, we hope to expand our social outreach, grow in popularity within SGU and the Grenadian community, promote nationwide interest in the Creative Arts Sector, and continue providing a platform for our members to nurture their artistry and master their respective crafts.
Wellness Aid and Guidance (WAG)
Mission statement: The mission of WAG is to provide financial support for animals that are in need of advanced medical treatment and don’t fit the SNP/AAARF selection criteria.
Number of current members: 70
Open to: All Foundation to Veterinary Medicine (FTV), SVM, and SOM students
How to join: Reach out to SO-WAG@sgu.edu.
Upcoming events/announcements:
- Tie-die event: Saturday, March 25, 2-4 pm on the playing field (pre-purchase a white T-shirt from WAG or bring your own article to use)
- Creation of SOM WAG representative: The position is open to any SOM student
SGU: If you had to describe your organization in three words, what would they be?
WAG: WAG stands for Wellness Aid and Guidance, three words that sum up the organization pretty neatly. We are dedicated to finding animals in urgent medical need, providing financial aid for these animals to receive treatment, and educating the public on practical animal care they can achieve at home.
SGU: Do you have a fun fact related to your mission that you’d like to share?
WAG: One fact about WAG is that we don’t only help unowned animals; we also provide financial support for locally owned animals who need advanced medical treatment. This has allowed us to widen the scope of animals and people we can help.
SGU: What are your goals for 2023?
WAG: Since we are now an official organization, we hope to have a more significant impact this semester. We are looking forward to helping more animals and people.
A primary goal this semester is to increase our presence school-wide. This is an excellent time to remind students that WAG (and our animals available for foster or adoption) is open to all FTV, SVM, and SOM students! And hey, we would love to see some professors at our events too.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
Mission statement: Foster an understanding and awareness of the multitude of complementary and alternative medical practices. The club hopes to allow students an outlet to critically review and discuss new research and to develop these abilities into clinically relevant and valuable skills. The club will allow students to interact with peers and lead discussions about CAM practices. This knowledge will enable future physicians to apply skills in a clinical setting.
Number of current members: 30
Open to: All SGU students
How to join: Reach out to @sgu_CAM on Instagram or email so-CAM@sgu.edu.
Upcoming events/announcements: CAM plans to have at least one event every month this term! They’ll host activities like yoga and have speakers from all different areas of alternative medicine speak to students. These events will be open to everyone.
SGU: If you had to describe your organization in three words, what would they be?
CAM: Inclusive, distinct, and devoted
SGU: Do you have a fun fact related to your mission that you’d like to share?
CAM: A fun fact is that almost everyone has either taken part in or knows of an alternative therapy that falls under the scope of CAM! Some of the most common are yoga, chiropractic, and acupuncture.
SGU: What are your goals for 2023?
CAM: Our goals are to choose a charity that aligns with our mission statement to give back to and educate students about what alternative medicine entails, how it can complement our practice as MDs, and how we can use it to benefit our health and wellness.
Nutrition Medicine Club (NMC)
Mission statement: To provide opportunities for students to learn about the role of nutrition science in medicine and participate in tasty, nutrition-oriented events. NMC strives to provide an open forum to discuss current nutrition research and practices, host guest lecturers by nutrition experts, hold compelling workshops, and exciting social events aimed at increasing our knowledge of the practical application of nutrition medicine while having an enjoyable time. By building on our nutritional insight, NMC members will be able to use their unique skills in their patient care and employ nutrition medicine, an increasingly critical part of patients’ treatment plans.
Number of current members: 104
Open to: All SGU students
How to join: Follow our Instagram @nmcsgu, join our WhatsApp chat, or email us at SO-NMC@sgu.edu.
Upcoming events/announcements:
- February 20: “Welcome to the Island” workshop, focused on cooking for yourself on the island and introducing students to the food options available.
- February TBD: Raffle for a chance to win a wide variety of gift cards to local businesses. Raffle proceeds will be donated to Grenada Community Fridge.
- April TBD: Nutrition Jeopardy night. Proceeds will be donated to food pantries in Ukraine.
SGU: If you had to describe your organization in three words, what would they be?
NMC: Innovative, welcoming, and rewarding
SGU: Do you have a fun fact related to your mission that you’d like to share?
NMC: An unhealthy diet contributes to approximately 678,000 deaths each year in the United States.
SGU: What are your goals for 2023?
NMC: For 2023, we’re striving to grow our NMC community by severalfold, expand our presence on campus and in the outside community, collaborate with other campus organizations, raise $1000 XCD for various charitable causes, and as always, spread nutrition knowledge through social and educational events for the SGU community.
—Sarah Stoss
