Student Clubs and Organizations You'll Want to Join at JWU

Author Makena Warfield '24 is a Media & Communications Studies major and works as a student assistant at JWU, contributing to JWU News.

With over 100 student clubs and organizations between our two campuses, there are so many ways to get involved at JWU! Every little interest can have its own club. 

All JWU’s clubs and organizations are shown off during the annual Student Involvement Fest, one of JWU’s traditions during Welcome Week. These clubs represent a wide variety of topics including academics, Greek Life, creative media, recreational sports, culinary, culture, and more. Getting involved in clubs and organizations is a great way to enhance your college experience. It also helps encourage yourself and others to make friends while exploring and expanding your own personal interests. “I love that this event gives students the chance to see everything in one place and all that they can be involved with on campus,” says Kacie DeLaughter ’24.  

Here are just a few of the many great clubs you can join at JWU. 

Strengthen your resume with academic-focused clubs 

At JWU, clubs such as Business Professionals of America (BPA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Future Health Professionals (HOSA), Skills USA, DECA and several other academic-focused clubs all fall under the umbrella of JWU’s National Student Organizations (JWU NSO). JWU NSO members often have opportunities to attend seminars that are focused on new job categories, compete against students from all over the U.S., and participate in leadership conferences. These kinds of clubs allow you to meet people with similar passions while also strengthening your own personal and professional skills for the real world. If you were a part of any of these NSO clubs while in high school, you could be eligible for a JWU NSO scholarship! 

As a member of DECA, I have to say this club is a great way to build leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management careers. It’s also a great way to build connections with future employers through the many competitions and hands-on seminars that are offered throughout your time with the club. “DECA has helped me prepare for job interviews through the hands-on experience and the ability to learn through seminars on the importance of professionalism and being confident about sharing your experiences and how a new position can continue to advance your skills in the work industry,” says DECA president Mackenzie Weber ’24.   

Go Greek in a fraternity or sorority 

JWU has over 20 fraternities and sororities between our two campuses, and each one of them is unique. Some of the fraternities and sororities that we offer are; Theta Delta Chi Fraternity (ΘΔΧ), Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (ΩΦΒ), and Delta Zeta (ΔΖ), Alpha Kappa Alpha –Upsilon Beta Sorority, and Kappa Alpha Psi – Pi Mu, Fraternity. Each sorority and fraternity has its own unique cause that they have fundraisers for throughout the academic school year.  

At the start of each school year, the many on-campus fraternities and sororities offer an event called, “Meet the Greeks.” It is an opportunity for anyone interested in joining a school-recognized fraternity or sorority to learn more about each organization. 

However, we do offer a non-Greek organization that is not anti-Greek but is called Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship. “We were founded on April 4th, 1969, by 12 bold and daring black women with the idea of enriching community growth and supporting women in need of growth,” says Shakeriah Baxter ’25 vice president of Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship Inc. 

We also offer a non-Greek Egyptian-based fraternal organization called Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship. “We were founded on October 12th, 1962, at Morgan State University by 14 black men who felt the need to create something other than the traditional Greek organization,” says Duamarius Bedford ’24, the grad advisor of the Griffin Chapter of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc. “Our core values are service, scholarship, and fellowship. We support our next man in building him up to the most successful he can be and to give back to the community around them.”  

Let your creativity run wild 

If none of the academic, fraternity, and sorority-type clubs are your thing, we have more than enough creative clubs to explore. In Providence, you can join clubs like JWU Media Production Club, the Campus Herald newspaper, JWU Players, and more. In Charlotte, you can take part in clubs like the Gamers Guild, the Focal Photo Society or the Anime Society.  

Celebrate diversity and inclusion 

Jay Ibarra ’24 (he/him) says the JWU Pride Alliance Club helped him feel at home at Johnson & Wales. “It helped me find myself in college and helped me find hormone therapy with my transition,” he shared. Pride Alliance Club is a wonderful way to make friends throughout the LGBTQ+ community and learn about a wide range of resources. 

Other clubs are dedicated to celebrating certain cultures, such as the Muslim Student Association which was honored in 2023 as a New Student Organization. This year they hope to grow their club even more at Involvement Fest. “Salaam! The JWU Muslim Student Association’s goal is to bring a sense of community to campus and to connect those who trace Islam, are interested in it, and wish to lead a more holistic and peaceful journey of life,” says club president Aisha Drammeh ’23. 

Another example is the Black Student Union (BSU) at the Charlotte Campus. BSU is a place where black students can feel at home and find or build their own voice. “BSU is a space for black students to acknowledge our commonalities, says Ayanna Blackmon ’24. “We do not want people to be afraid of sharing their voices and being themselves. We are a welcoming space for everyone, including minorities to just be who they are.”  

Other clubs, like Culinaria Latina, find unique ways to celebrate culture. “Culinaria Latina is about bringing Latin-American students together through food,” says club president Maria Paula Hernandez ’24. “We do a lot of cooking demonstrations and cooking days where we gather and have amazing food. Join us today!” 

Create your own club 

The list of student clubs and organizations always seems to be growing, and we love it! If you are interested in forming your own club, you can contact Elizabeth Zmalicki, the assistant director of Student Involvement & Leadership for Clubs & Organizations. You can also stop by her office on the 2^nd floor of the Citizens Bank Center for Student Involvement (CBCSI). 

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