The first days of college can be a whirlwind of experiences, emotions, and decisions even before setting foot inside a classroom. And it may seem daunting to students to consider adding another commitment to their already-busy schedule.

But leaders of the 40+ business organizations and fraternities at the Farmer School of Business say the opportunities offered by joining a business group are worth the time and effort.

“You have the opportunity to redefine this world, this campus and well beyond it. You should have community to help you make sure you can accomplish that in more ways than one,” Anthony Patrick, director of recruitment at Pi Sigma Epsilon, explained. “I think joining a business fraternity really gives you the means to redefine your potential and acknowledge your own greatness and potential for greatness.”

“It's really useful for learning valuable skills, getting your foot in the door, building your network, learning what you need to be successful in the business world,” Accounting Association vice president of programs Michael Hazel noted. “For me at least, the whole idea of getting into a career in business is kind of daunting. If you join a business organization, you can get your questions answered and figure out how to be successful in terms of getting internships and getting a full-time position.”

 “I have grown so much since I was a freshman. I would never have talked in front of people then, and now I'm about to give speeches for three days in a row,” Taylor Hellmann, vice president of recruiting for Alpha Kappa Psi remarked. “You have people supporting you, people networking with you to get you your dream job. I've met my best friends here. All the people are super supportive and just reaching out whenever you need something.”

Women in Economics president Alex Haushalter said that what she learned while in the organization went far beyond a better understanding of economics. “Something that I never expected to learn was the leadership ability that I had within me. When I joined, I would have never thought, ‘Oh, I'm going to be president of this organization,’” she explained. “The girls helped me through our mentorship program and taking me under their wing and showed me that ‘You can do this, too. You can use your voice, you can go and actually lead something.’”

“The sheer number of opportunities that just come from being involved on campus, whether it's our organization or another, has really surprised me,” Accounting Association president Leah Cox said. “So many different professionals who come in and speak with us each week, and I think that really surprised me when I was a freshman. How willing they were to make conversation with me and really make my time here the best that it can be, professionally and academically.”

“It’s really helped me shine in more ways than one. I've also learned that I can do a lot more than I thought I could,” Patrick said. “Freshman me couldn’t think of that, couldn’t have imagined that. Being in a business fraternity has taught me about what it means to be Anthony Patrick.”