Wright State Wind Symphony | Photo by Christian Peters | The Wright State Guardian
A challenge that comes with running any organization is participation. However, this year participation in organizations like cultural clubs has gone up as COVID-19 restrictions relax.
Participation and challenges this year
Student activities like Korean Club, Outdoor Resource Center trip and Pep Band games have adapted through various precautions despite the challenges that come when operating during a pandemic.
Abigail Bond, secretary of the Korean Club, which was inactive from Spring 2020 until Fall 2021, has observed this uptick in participation.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in a lot of really amazing people joining the club. So it’s been exciting to see that but it definitely has impacted the group that was there originally because we are coming back from COVID,” Bond said.
The main challenge for the Korean club has been adjusting back to pre-pandemic levels.
“For the most part it was contacting people and getting their input and then explaining what had happened in the past,” Bond said.
Matthew Weaver, director of the pep band, has also noticed this shift in participation.
“Last year we were down to 25 [participants]. This year, I’m an adjunct and we’re back at about 30, which was a happy surprise,” Weaver said.
Band programs rely heavily on communication, making not being able to see faces due to mask regulations a challenge.
“When you direct, a lot of what’s happening in your face is what you’re directing. So I’m having to rely on my eyebrows and my hands a lot more,” Bond said.
Pandemic precautions
Besides mask-wearing, the pep band has other precautions in place.
“We have air filters in the rooms, bell covers, and we’re not playing unless we have the masks on,” said Weaver.
The Outdoor Resource Center (ORC) has also taken precautions, especially with cleaning.
Erin Sherrets, the director of the Outdoor Resource Center, has overseen the policies put into place at the center.
“After each use of our gear, we clean everything down. And we clean our wall at the end of each shift, which is just an increase of cleaning methods that we’ve done before,” Sherrets said.
With these precautions, each organization believes students can safely participate in their activities.
For trips with the ORC, students must provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
