I was wondering if someone would be able to give me a rundown of all of the business clubs/frats at UIUC. I was looking at the long list on their website and they all look good! I am a Hispanic female going into business management (I don’t know if this makes a difference but I think it even gives me more choices making it even more difficult to decide). Do you suggest joining one your freshman year?
To answer your question, yes! I suggest you aggressively pursue opportunities on campus. There will be a lot of info nights to attend so have some warm weather casual business attire with you when you arrive on campus. Visit the various RSO (registered student organizations) tables at Quad Day and make an effort to have conversations with the representatives. Joining organizations as a freshman will help you make friends and find mentors.
I am the parent of 2 Gies College of Business students…one is a current junior, the other graduated in May 2017. I don’t know all the business frats and organizations, but I’ll share what I can.
There are numerous business frats, but the ones I’m more familiar with are: Business Council, AKPsi and PGN.
You can google them, but here’s a link to one to get an idea of what they do.
http://illinoisbusinesscouncil.com
Then there are organizations that my kids and their friends have been involved in:
Illinois Business Consulting. http://www.ibc.illinois.edu
Enactus. https://www.illinoisenactus.com
I believe all these organizations are selective. You must express interest: attend the info night and introduce yourself at tables at Quad Day and in the BIF atrium at the beginning of the semester. Then there is the application, followed by the interview process. You’ll need to be organized. They’re all recruiting during the same period so you will have to juggle all the commitments. Keep in mind the size of these organizations and the competitive demand for these spots.
If you don’t get an invite your first semester, try again in the Spring. Learn from the process and don’t get discouraged. Remember you’re building a resume for your future internships and job search. I would say a lot of the best junior year internships are received in the Fall of junior year…that means you’ll have 2 years or 4 semesters to distinguish yourself. Seek a leadership position as soon as possible.
My kids have loved their experience at U of I. They made great friends, but also worked really hard. There are a lot of other activities from which you are able to choose. I only listed a handful from the long list of RSOs. Find something you can enjoy, so you can commit the time and effort needed to succeed. Good luck!