Students find belonging and build community at annual fall organization fair

What does it mean to truly belong? For the 1,000 students wandering through rows of tables at the annual Fall Organization Fair, or Org Fair, the answer might be found in a captivating table display, a shared interest or a welcoming smile. Hosted by the Office of Student Involvement, the Org Fair prioritizes belonging and building community, allowing student organization leaders to promote their organization while engaging with prospective members.

However, the event’s purpose goes beyond joining or learning about a student organization; it’s about discovering the communities where identities and passions intersect, embracing every student, and making them feel at home.

“The goal is always to get as many students involved and find that sense of belonging. It is a great experience to see the whole campus community come together in one event, and the timing is perfect,” said Alexis Swider, associate director of Student Involvement. “We’ve just come back from summer break, classes are starting, and everyone has high energy. Students are excited for this next chapter, whether starting a new organization, finding a new sense of belonging, or even a new passion area.”

Student organization leaders are also working to achieve this goal in a variety of ways.

“We have on-campus sets to create movies from students and basically use those as bonding exercises. We also have trivia nights and weekly meetings where we encourage bonding,” said Devon Rocke ‘26, president of Cinelon Productions. “We also encourage using multiple channels of communication, such as GroupMe and email. We also host events outside of our own regular meetings.”

While student organization leaders focus on promoting their groups and recruiting new members to create a sense of belonging and build community, student attendees also explore organizations to find where they best fit.

Adam Alkins ‘26 found his community during his freshman year by joining the Elon News Network (ENN). Although he is no longer involved in the organization, it had a lasting impact and built the foundation for his sense of belonging and community.

“I think finding people that were that driven and could push me in the right direction, even if it wasn’t exactly what I wanted, was awesome,” Alkins said.

Sarah Carss ‘26 echoed Alkins, finding her community during her first year at Elon within Cinelon Productions and the Student Union Board (SUB) and feeling empowered to go outside her comfort zone to find belonging.

“I walked up to the table at the Org Fair and I joined. I made some friends there and just tried to put myself out there, which I’m really not that kind of person, but I did, and it definitely paid off. I met some of my best friends in CineElon and SUB,” Carss said.

The Org Fair’s familiar themes of belonging, connections, identity, communicating and drive align closely with HealthEU, Elon’s health and wellness initiative, dimensions of community, purpose and social well-being. At the Org Fair, student organization leaders and attendees can find their sense of belonging, create authentic relationships and achieve fulfillment by connecting with their passions and interests.

However, the opportunity for students to engage and find their community doesn’t stop at the Org Fair. PhoenixCONNECT, an online communications and calendar platform, offers another way for students to connect and learn about student organizations.

“We have all of our student organizations categorized on PhoenixCONNECT to allow easier access and accessibility for our students to find what they’re interested in and what their passions lie,” Swider said.

Using PhoenixCONNECT, students can join organizations, view photos, learn about upcoming events and engage with student organizations.

Student Involvement Ambassadors are another resource to help students find their community outside the Org Fair. The Involvement Ambassadors assist students in getting connected and involved on campus throughout the year. Students are encouraged to visit PhoenixCONNECT or connect with an Involvement Ambassador in the Student Involvement office in Moseley 201 and 205 to continue exploring and connecting with organizations.