This semester, I have the opportunity of being a part of Binghamton University’s Zionist Organization’s (BUZO) E-Board, serving the the education chair. BUZO’s mission is to educate and advocate the student body on Israel and what it means to be a Zionist. This is done either through tabling, creating educational seminars and events, and fundraising for different organizations in Israel including Peace Players and Save a Child’s Heart. For my specific role, I help with creating the education events, either in terms of bringing in speakers or planning out what our members will be tabling about. Being a member of the E-Board, my communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills have tremendously improved. Taking on this leadership role has pushed me to get out of my comfort zone by being more creative and assertive, especially when it comes to brainstorming educational events. Having this leadership position has taught me the importance of a collaborative environment in terms of both my fellow E-board members and G-board members. It has only emphasized the significance of hearing other people’s opinions and ideas as well as delegating roles to other members that can handle the responsibilities.
I believe that being a part of organizations and clubs helps people develop so many skills that you cannot find in a classroom setting and that are extremely important when applying for internships and jobs. The sole reason for joining clubs and organizations during your college experience should not just be to add it onto your resume. Rather, it should be about gaining specific skills because those are very much transferable when you join the workforce. Knowing that you feel confident with these skill sets allows for a more stress-free transition from school to working. In addition, because you are joining a club or organization you are connecting with so many people. For me, joining a club that relies on making connections with people and maintaining collaborative environments really helped me develop my communication skills. Without me realizing it, being a part of BUZO provided me with the skills I needed for my summer internship and has given me the confidence to connect with other people in regards to finding jobs. Personally, I feel more prepared to work in collaberative environments, planning events, and decision making.
I made it a mission my sophomore year to be more involved with clubs and organizations on campus. I pushed myself to research what I wanted to join and picked the clubs and organizations I felt passionate about. Getting involved on campus has tremendously influenced my experience at Binghamton University because of the skills I was able to develop and also the people I was able to meet and work with. Joining BUZO allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and fully immerse myself in the college experience. I highly recommend anybody and everyone to join clubs and organizations on campus not only because of the skills you can gain, but also because of the connections you can.
