Rallying up the troops; West Texas A&M’s Org Rally

West Texas A&M put on their biannual Org Rally Feb. 26 12-3.

Courtesy of West Texas A&M's Office of Student Engagement and Leadership

West Texas A&M put on their biannual Org Rally Feb. 26 12-3.

West Texas A&M hosted their org rally Friday Feb. 26, 2021 from 1-3 p.m. Once a semester this meeting takes place. Representatives from each on campus organization attended. Various speakers gave presentations to better inform the organizations. The meeting took place at Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center.

“Each semester we do org rally, we invite the presidents of every organization on campus to come. Basically what we want is for them to attend, and then we give them information that is beneficial to them as a campus org. So like buff link training, registration, risk management, that’s like the major stuff we want them to know,” said Justin Mahan, a junior corporate communications major and student activities consultant for the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership.

It is important for organizations to attend, particularly so that they are able to be active on campus.

“A lot of times you can be in our system, but if you’re not registered or haven’t done risk management, there’s not much you can do. You can’t reserve spaces on campus because you’re not technically active,” Mahan said.

Org rallies keep every organization in the know, better helping them plan for the semester.

“I really like to be in the know of everything so I’m looking forward to knowing what next steps we need to take especially for COVID season,” said Byron Roberts, a senior music technology major and President of the Wesley Foundation.

While organizations meet up like this once a semester, it is up to them to unite outside of the meeting.

“I know orgs want to work together more. And we, you know, we give them this information so that they can do that. But it’s ultimately up to them to say, hey, I want to have a joint event with, you know, organization A, and organization B. And so we can come together and you know, help each other out, and have this great event,” Mahan said.

While all organizations stand separately, they all share the similar goal of unity.

The Black Student Union organization’s main goal is “to bring the black community back together on campus. Realistically, the black population here is so divided it is sad, like, I guess. We’re so divided to the point they’re different black orgs on campus, instead of all band together. You know, so my, my goal at the end of the day is to bring us back,” said DeAnndra Murry, a senior communication studies major and the President of the Black Student Union (BSU).

This type of unity gives organizations the potential to create strong communities.

“You see people becoming friends. I would never become friends. And you see people growing into the kind of people they, you know, they feel they need to be… you find a community, your people, of like they’re always there for you, always going to support you. Recently two of our girls that live in Cross, they had the pipes bust on them, they have three inches of water in the room, and within like 15 minutes, there’s tons of people helping them move out and everything is all community from here,” Roberts said.

Mere words won’t build up these types of organizations. Action is needed.

“Passion is a good one too. To have a passion for what you are doing with your organization and, you know, being able to move forward with that, you know, knowing you’re doing a good job here on campus,” Mahan said.

Campus organizations provide more for students than simple meetings and events.

“It gives you a safe place, it helps you find who you are, it gives you something to be motivated about it gives you responsibility, it gives you somewhere to mature at,” Murry said.

The importance of organizations on campus is apparent, and, even in these times, students simply long to be there for one another.

“I think people should know that they’re always welcome here, regardless. And agree or disagree with what we believe in, you know, this is a safe place. This is meant to be a community, and we even have a team dedicated to making people feel welcome, you know, and it’s just so cool. And so if anyone’s ever unassured, or, you know, ever curious, they’re always welcome here and they’re always going to be welcome here,`”Roberts said.