Members of the Utah International Mountain Forum (UIMF) (www.utahimf.org), a coalition of student clubs at Utah Valley University (UVU) had another opportunity to promote goals of the coalition, to recruit new members from UVU students and raise funds by participating at traditional student club rush on September 12-13, 2017. The event allowed also for the three core clubs of coalition – foreign affairs club, UIMF club and sustainable mountain development club to meet with forward thinking students and future leaders in their field alike.

In order to participate at club rush, our clubs were required to get registered by recruiting each of them at least six member and identifying their president from one of the experienced students. This year the club requirements were changed substantially with the aim to provide students with more independence and self-rule: faculty, who previously served as advisors and helped to manage many club activities including finances, now have to be in role of mentors only and allow students maximum freedom with their activities.

Matt Rands, UIMF President and Pasang Sherpa, UIMF member during the club rush

After satisfying requirements with registration and being accepted as participants of the club rush, members of our three clubs prepared necessary materials, posters, brochures etc for the gathering. As one of the advantages of the coalition, we were able to combine our tables and work with student audience as one joint team.

Within the upbeat environment and beautiful weather, our booth proved successful in drawing in students from all backgrounds and nationalities with the clubs mission statement of raising awareness and the exchange information in mountainous regions.

Club members provided exciting opportunities for students to improve themselves, as well as the world around them through coalition of clubs initiatives and activities with focus on promotion of the sustainable mountain development (SMD) agenda of the United Nations in the state of Utah and globally such as hosting the international Women of the Mountains conferences or celebrating the United Nations International Mountain days at UVU. Club members made it a point to engage idle passerby’s in dialogue, invoking critical thought and analysis of pertinent issues. Aiming to target not only students in the field, but those that are not as well.

We found that it was vital to inform said students on the importance of their role accompanied with their particular skill sets, whether it be computer science or even health science, their skill sets are cherished and valued in our determined efforts to raise awareness about promotion of sustainability among mountain communities and the model of economic development in Utah as one of the good examples to emulate and share.

Club Rush at UVU

We met a plenty of old friends as well as new faces this year and it is a pleasure to present to more than thirty students who expressed interest to join our activities the opportunities UIMF as a coalition of clubs has to offer to its members. We look forward to the work ahead of us this year and into the next, all while improving ourselves and others in the world today.

       Dylan Genes, member, Foreign Affairs Club at UVU