What do you do if you walk through Cokes and Clubs and are not interested in any of the student organizations? Instead of not becoming involved, Daniel Blakemore, senior geology major, decided to create a new club with some friends this year. Thus, the Geo Club was conceived.

“There didn’t seem to be a niche group for geology and other folk to spend time outside of the classroom setting,” said Blakemore, co-president of the club. Geo Club became the perfect fit for the Geo department, which consists of geology, geography and environmental studies.

This club is committed to strengthen the community within the Geo department by bridging the gap between the three departments. “We want to foster the community,” Blakemore said.

Geo Club is not exclusive to students in the Geo department; Blakemore encourages anyone across campus to join. One of its goals is to include people from outside the department, because the Geo department is “tucked away in the bottom of North Hall, so not very many people get to see our space,” he added.

What goes on during Geo Club meetings? The group’s activities consist partly of fun social events such as watching movies, an upcoming ping-pong tournament and a backpacking trip to Manistee later this fall.

But the Geo Club is not just a club dedicated to social events. “[We want to] develop a community, but also do community service and some professional development through having guests, such as alumni, come in and give lectures,” Blakemore said.

One of the goals of Geo Club is to strengthen the connections between students and the people who are beyond graduation, including alumni, in order to foster professional

development within the group, as the current connections within the department are somewhat limited.

“We exist!” said Blakemore. “You should all join, because it is a fun way to learn about really great departments. If you like being outside, conservation, maps and rocks, you should come join us for a meeting.”

To learn more about Geo Club, check out its Facebook page (Calvin Geo Club), sign up for emails through [email protected] or email club president Daniel Blakemore (drb35).