The Student Involvement and Leadership Center wrapped up “Leadership Week” on Saturday, Feb. 15, after hosting several events. One of these events was Relationships that Lead, which was hosted to help students build healthy relationships both in and out of their on-campus organizations.
About the event
This is the first year that SIL has done “Leadership Week,” as they wanted to give students important information on how to be a good leader and best support one another in all the on-campus clubs and events.
The Relationships that Lead event was hosted in the SIL office, located at 190 Student Union on Feb. 14, and the purpose of this event was to specifically talk about what healthy and toxic relationships might look like inside of an organization.
Gina Keucher, the Associate Director of Student Involvement and Leadership, organized this event and she shared her purpose for it.
“My hope was that we could address toxic relationships in both student organizations, and if somebody needed to hear the message for their personal life, [it is] a safe way to have a discussion about toxic relationships,” Keucher said.
What is SIL?
The Student Involvement and Leadership center serves many different purposes at Wright State University, but the main focus is to help students get connected on campus.
“SIL is a team of student-centered professionals committed to providing student organization services, campus programs, fraternity and sorority life, leadership development programs and commuter and off-campus services to support students’ holistic development,” the website reads.
For students who are not sure how to take the first steps to finding an organization, SIL has Involvement Mentors who can meet with them and help figure out where they would best fit. These mentors are students who are specially trained to help students learn how they should get involved on campus.
"The mentors help students evaluate their involvement capabilities, assist with time management, coordinate involvement planning and make recommendations for involvement," SIL's Get Involved page reads.
In addition to this, many campus organizations are overseen by members of SIL, and their offices help plan and host events. They also encourage students to attend First Weekend and April Craze, and to visit WSU's Engage page for events held every day all around the Dayton area, both on- and off-campus. This is a center designed to support students and help them get involved, and they prove it often.
Getting involved on campus
It can seem scary to attend events or go to club meetings for the first time, which is why WSU offers so many resources to help students step out of their comfort zone and build connections.
“Students who find community in college are more likely to be retained and to graduate. When you get involved WSU becomes more than just a place you get your degree, it becomes your home,” Keucher said.
Ritu Pokharel, a communication studies student at WSU, moved to campus from Nepal, and she shared how connecting with other students has helped her.
“Being here has made me realize how important it is to make friends and have a community on campus. [It is] really important, not just for making connections, but also for having emotional support, as most of us are away from home,” Pokharel said.
Getting out of your comfort zone is not always easy, but there are so many benefits to building connections with other students. SIL offers many resources to help students, and it is important that students do not forget to utilize them.
