Coffin complex is bustling with the noise of eager new and returning Haskell students for Highlight Night, Tuesday, Sept. 10 — opportunities offered by on-campus clubs or local Lawrence organizations.
Highlight Night occurs semesterly on campus. Since the university’s reopening during the COVID-19 epidemic, the activity night was held at Tecumseh gym. It has recently been hosted in the Coffin Complex’s larger gymnasium due to a surplus of clubs compared to previous years.
Primarily run by the Student Activities department on campus, Leandra Galindo dives into her experience with the feature night for clubs. Galindo is the recreation assistant and has worked on campus for over two decades.
“We do [highlight night] every fall and spring semester. I got here in 1998; that’s fifty-two times, give or take,” said Galindo. “[Tonight] is the biggest we’ve had. I started registration in August. We had a total of 50+ [clubs], almost double compared to what we’ve had. I figured it would be big with the enrollment.”
Galindo describes some off-campus groups that provide student resources, such as the Indian Methodist Church, Lawrence Pride, and Lawrence Transit.
Many tables in Coffin were also student-run clubs, often meeting on campus. James Benson is a senior and the president of Natural Ones, a tabletop gaming club that regularly meets Tuesdays at 6 p.m. in Ross Hall, room 121B.
“We are a board game and tabletop top club creating a community around teamwork,” Benson said. “Join if you want to have fun playing card games, Dungeons and Dragons, etc…”
Benson and their vice president, Jacob Curtis, said it was a simple way to make new connections, recommending students attend any events hosted during the semester. The Natural Ones host a party each semester with games and food during the midterm season to help anyone overcome academic stress.
Allies of Equality, another student organization on campus, is led by queer and two-spirit students. The group meets weekly in Ross Hall, room 140, at 4:30 p.m. each Friday. Gwen Smith, the vice president, emphasizes the values of their club.
“We educate, strengthen, and expand a safe space for queer youth,” Smith said. “It’s for everybody: allies or queer people. We meet for local events around Lawrence and to make changes around on campus.”
While there are several chances to gather socially on campus, there were plenty of academic clubs at Haskell Highlight Night provided to anyone looking to connect based on their studies. The American Indian Business Leaders (AIBL), Eric Allen Greenhouse, American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), Haskell Theatre and Chorus, and the KU-Haskell Bridge program were accessible on Tuesday.
AJ Holder, a recent graduate of Haskell, aided current students in promoting the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).
“We are achieving true diversity for those interested in science and looking for community,” Holder said. “There’s also post-grad opportunities, those looking at a masters.”
Several students encourage newer ones to dive into what’s provided. Hannah James, a freshman finishing her second semester, discusses her interests in the book club.
“[The book club] has good variation, a lot of Native books that I’m interested in,” James said. “This is my second highlight night. There are lots of clubs this semester, it seems good for students. New students should sign up for whatever piques their eye.”
Coleman Josh, a senior at Haskell, is a member of several organizations, including the fraternity Iota Gamma, the Warrior Nations boxing club, and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC). He talks about how he looks forward to Highlight Night early in the semester.
“It’s cool because you can see the organizations on campus for students to get socialized,” said Coleman. “Even if you don’t sign up on Highlight Night, attend the meetings for clubs you’re interested in to get involved.”
Beyond academic and social groups, many that attended were cultural or supported by faculty. Some of these include Cheyenne-Arapaho, Apache, and Oyate clubs; Native American Church and Haskell Lighthouse; Haskell Athletics, Financial Aid, and Student Success Center are also examples of resources provided. Highlight Night is shown as the primary opportunity for current students to get involved with campus.
