As a liberal arts institution, Wofford inspires and encourages all students to pursue their interests through their majors, research, volunteer opportunities and student-led organizations. For many students, their passions lead them to join groups and clubs on campus that align with their professional and personal interests.
This year at Wofford, new clubs have been proposed, with some being chartered and others still navigating the chartering process. Nolan Nicholson ’24 and John Picard ’24 recently created and chartered the Terrier Investment Banking Club.
“I formed this club because I, along with many other students, am interested in pursuing careers in investment banking,” said Nicholson., “I felt that there needed to be more resources on campus because the recruitment process is highly competitive and breaking into the industry requires a lot of preparation and guidance.”
For Nicholson and Picard, the desire to prepare themselves for the postgraduate workforce resulted in a group with large aspirations that extend beyond the classroom.
“We wanted to stray away from this club merely being a classroom setting to it being more of a workshop where peers could work at their own pace,” said Picard.
Wofford’s chartering process ensures that clubs follow the appropriate guidelines and regulations to provide accessibility to all campus members and to hold organizations accountable.
Picard said that the recruitment and chartering processes were relatively easy for gathering support for the club, “however, the charter process, with reason, was an extensive and long process.”
Olivia Williams ’22 shares a similar view on the chartering process, which she said is not difficult, but time-consuming.
Williams is leading the process to charter the Wofford Weightlifting Club, a passion she has envisioned for over a year now. Her vision for the club, once chartered, is one of community and health.
“I am working on forming this club in an effort to create a community for students who may be new to the gym and would like a support system,” Williams said.
“It is also a way for experienced weightlifters and beginners alike to be able to talk and share wisdom, workout together, learn from one another and to have some comradery through a common interest,” she continued.
Both groups plan to be active as the chartering process finishes up or has already been finalized, with informational sessions and social media posts informing students around campus.
For the Wofford Weightlifting Club, Williams recently submitted the application and is hopeful for good news in the coming weeks.
As the fall semester is in full swing and students continue to balance social life and academic performance, clubs and organizations serve as healthy and productive outlets and spaces to spend time with friends pursuing similar interests.
The Terrier Investment Banking Club and Wofford Weightlifting Club, along with the numerous other organizations around campus, highlight the liberal arts mindset that Wofford attempts to prepare each of its students with: engagement with the community, engagement with others and the pursuit of passions, interests and activities that sharpen the mind and one’s interaction with the world.