As a new school year begins, it brings new opportunities to get involved on campus. This year six new student organizations will join the over 70 other student organizations on campus.

Apologetics Club

Club president and junior Cayln Jones shares, “We saw the need for a place for students to bring their heavy questions and doubts concerning the Christian faith…We wanted to make a club for people of any major, with possibly no prior knowledge of the topics at hand, in order to engage in conversation comfortably. ”

The club hopes to address questions such as, “Is the Bible reliable?,” “Is there evidence for the resurrection?” and “Does God even exist?”Through bi-weekly meetings featuring speakers from a range of concentrations, students will be able to hear about how others defend their faith and think through those questions for themselves.

To learn more about apologetics club, you can contact John Hoffman at [email protected] or stop by one of their meetings on Monday afternoons.

Astronomy Club

The leaders of Astronomy Club drew on their shared love of outer-space to create a club that gives students an opportunity to explore God’s creativity and omnipotence.

“For Calvin College, we will be a window to get a glimpse of God’s greatness and vastness by exploring a large part of his creation, the universe,” explains club president Cris Jang.

The club sees invites students of all levels of knowledge in astronomy to join them in exploring the beauty of the universe together. In monthly meetings, students can explore the skies through discussions on astronomy and stargazing in the observatory. Astronomy Club also plans to host a backpacking and stargazing trip in Northern Michigan this fall.

To get involved with Astronomy Club, contact publicity coordinator Marko Ivancich at [email protected] or follow them on Facebook at Calvin Astronomy.

Calvin Democrats

For anyone looking for a chance to make a difference politically, Calvin Democrats hopes to help student democrats get involved in local politics and advocacy on Calvin’s campus. Since Calvin has had a Republican club for a number of years, the leaders of Calvin Democrats wanted to create such a space for Democratic students as well.

The group plans to be involved in supporting liberal candidates locally and nationally, encouraging bipartisan discussion, promoting progressive ideologies and fostering an inclusive environment at Calvin.

On Monday September 18, they will be hosting a debate with Calvin Republicans to discuss the constitutionality of DACA.

“We want to encourage dialogue just as much as we want to promote our platform,” says club treasurer junior Jesse Brink.

Students interested in getting involved can find Calvin College Democrats on Facebook or contact Jesse Brink at [email protected].

Christians for Justice Leadership Institute

The Christians for Justice Leadership Institute (CJLI) is a social justice organization seeking to equip Christian leaders on campus.

Diana Lopez, senior and leadership development chair of the CJLI, shares, “We had many individuals on campus who empathized with the plight of marginalized groups in our nation and felt compelled to act in a justly manner as Jesus did, but lacked the knowledge and skills necessary to do so. The CJLI was started to address the needs of these Christian servant leaders.”

The club will host lectures, professional development and book studies that give students the necessary skills and knowledge to combat social inequity, an information fair on social issues, a discussion group on the history of activism and a leadership retreat focused on faith and social justice. This past week, they hosted an event entitled “DACA: Lament Into Action.”

Students can stay connected to the CJLI through their Facebook page (Christians for Justice Leadership Institute) or their Instagram (@C4JLI).

South Asian Student Association

The South Asian Student Association (SASA) hopes to provide a “home away from home” and a new way to connect for South Asian students (including those from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh).

“Our mission is to create a strong and safe community for South Asian students to celebrate their culture and break any stereotypes that the Calvin community might have,” shares Priscilla Paul, sophomore and president of SASA.

Through celebrations of South Asian festivals and a Bollywood Dance Night, SASA will represent the diverse culture of South Asia to the Calvin community. The club also hopes to be a bridge between South Asian international students and South Asian American students, giving them the opportunity to fellowship together in a Christian environment.

Students of all nationalities are welcome to join SASA at their meetings and events. To get involved, contact Priscilla Paul at [email protected], or stop by one of their events.

Water Polo Club

Junior Jessica Skipper decided to start Water Polo Club out of a desire to offer students the chance to participate in a team sport that challenges and unites.

The team will practice skills, scrimmage and eventually compete in tournaments with other schools. Water polo is a unique sport that requires players to constantly develop and improve their skills.

“I really want to stress how meaningful and rewarding it is to be a part of a team working towards a goal in a unified manner,” shares Skipper.

To get involved, students can join the first meeting on September 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Venema Aquatic Center, or they can contact Jessica Skipper at [email protected].