The rescheduled Student Involvement Fair on Newell field ended after only an hour Tuesday. A steady rain forced organizations and prospective members indoors.
The Office of Student Activities plans to host a scaled-down version of the event next week.
"The third time is a charm!," Jason Heiserman, assistant director for student activities, wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. The rescheduled fair will take place on Thursday, Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the second floor of the University Union.
Student organizations do not need to pre-register; clubs will be provided table space on a first-come, first-serve basis. The event will be held indoors, to avoid the weather.
Justin Sirrocco, a junior psychology major, was at Tuesday's fair to promote the Newman Club and the Knights of Columbus.
“It was dark all day, so I expected it to drizzle, but I was hoping it would hold off,” he said.
Sirrocco said about 30 people expressed interest in his organization at the beginning of the fair. But around 5 p.m., a light drizzle became a steady rain.
Members of Circle K braved the weather and sat at their table as other groups headed indoors. Liz Wright, president of Circle K, said the weather was very disappointing.
“They cancelled it on Thursday and it didn’t even rain,” she said.
The remnants of Hurricane Frances were expected to saturate the region last Wednesday and Thursday, Heiserman said.
“If it had poured on Wednesday, the field would have been
in no condition to hold the fair on Thursday,” Heiserman
said.
Junior CIS and e-commerce major Shyam Vyas stood under a tree outside Newell Hall as the rain picked up.
“I was looking forward to it,” he said. “It’s the best way to meet people.”
Vyas was hoping to find out more information about the South Asian Students Association.
Heiserman said another fair will be held next week because of the importance of increasing campus involvement.
“We are going to look into doing something indoors with the organizations,” Heiserman said.
Umbrellas became a hot commodity on the field as the rain picked up.
“I came prepared,” Soroush Memarsadeghi said, clutching a black and white Towson umbrella. “If the food stays, I’ll stay.”
The catering service did stay, but the inflatables were packed
up by 5:30 p.m. and the soaking wet tables were put away by 6:30
p.m.
Before Mother Nature interrupted, hundreds of students signed up for clubs and picked up free trinkets.
Adam Minacapelli, a freshman business major, said he enjoyed the fair, though the rows of tables could have been spaced out better. He stood next to the College Republicans table and encouraged students to join the club.
“The idea is to block people until they tell you to move,” he joked with friends.
He explained the College Democrats, one table over, were “very persuasive.”
“We want to stop people and tell them about us before they hear the competition,” Minacapelli said.
The Sports Clubs Organization was one of the most popular tables, as they handed out hundreds of blue T-shirts to interested students.
“They caught my attention with the free shirts,” freshman Andrese Foreman said. “But I would have come over anyway. I want to join the stunt club… I used to cheer in high school, so it will keep me in shape.”
The stunt club is one of two new sports clubs that were approved last week. A tennis club was also established.
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