When COVID hit, we all longed to be in any time frame and space before March 2020. We would scroll through pictures from previous get-togethers — hugging, sharing meals, and interacting weren’t health hazards then.
Despite going through this turbulent era — A.K.A. the global pandemic that changed us all —many hoped to return to the world we left before lockdown, to regenerate what was.
That may not be realistic, though. Cultivating new operations might be more effective.
Student and Community Engagement officials at Sinclair are testing that theory. Formulating new and improved student activities might give pre-COVID events a run for their money. Their work is pivoting to meet the expectations of a new world.
Crystal Ford Bingle, Coordinator of Student Engagement, is involved in that work and describes her role at Sinclair as “multi-faceted.” She oversees various clubs and organizations at Sinclair and plans and structures events. She specializes in finding fresh ways to promote engagement among members of the Sinclair community.
Instead of looking at campus interaction as taking a hit and declining in the wake of the pandemic, Bingle takes a more optimistic perspective.
“The pandemic creat[ed] a shift in the ways in which we engage as well as the level of engagement,” says Bingle. “[Event and club] energy and involvement has increased tremendously.”
Bingle’s new hub on eLearn might be one of the forces increasing student participation.
This summer, Bingle and eLearndeveloped and designed a new eLearn hub called the “Sinclair College Student Clubs & Organizations Hub.” The hub is now open to the entire Sinclair community — students, faculty and staff. This new interface provides users with a plethora of information. From background on all activeclubs/organizations to a list of their upcoming events, the hub will have everything you need.
Also new this term are the Student Officer Leadership Training Program and the Student Clubs & Organizations Awards Program (S.C.O.A.P). For club advisors and student officers, the hub has many resources dedicated to ensuring that those in leadership roles are equipped with the right tools to have a triumphant term.
Gaining access to the hub is simple. You just need to be logged into your my.sinclair account.
“Go to your eLearn on your my.sinclair page and click on Discover and type in the keyword ‘Clubs’to gain access to the Sinclair College Student Clubs & Organizations Hub,” says Bingle. “Be sure to enroll just like you would [for] a course.”
Once joined, the hub can be found under the “Communities” tab under “My Courses” on the eLearn homepage. You can also bookmark this link.
Bingle strongly encourages students to get involved in events, clubs and organizations.
“These experiences add to your marketability and growth as a college student,” says Bingle. “You gain leadership skills, make new friends, and have fun in these experiences.”
With events ranging from ghost storytelling to meeting a live penguin on campus, Sinclair events have something for everyone. Bingle promotes the idea that these forms of organic interaction could even improve our psyche.
“[Engagement] increase[s] opportunities to destress and boost your serotonin,” says Bingle. “Your college experience is one that you will cherish for many years to come.”
Complete list of events and activities for fall 2022
For more information on student engagement, click here or visit the Student & Community Engagement office in Building 8, Room 025.
The Office of Student and Community Engagement regularly updates the hub and their Twitter account, @SinclairEngage, with the latest news, so keep an eye out!
Make connections and get involved. #JoinUs!
Zawna Woodard
Reporter