By Cecilia Vigil
Like the dramatic fall monsoons, new students are flooding onto our campus, bringing new life to our institution, drenching our classrooms with the quest for knowledge and the opportunities for a better life.
To help contain the flood of new talent, Arizona Western College has a new science club this semester -- The Wildlife Society. Their mission is to work with the wildlife biologist in the area, learn about this field, and participate in the caring and rehabilitation of the many orphaned and sick animals such as mule deer, skunks, squirrels, raptors and many types of reptiles.
Faculty advisors are AWC professors Dr. George Montopoli and Dr. Cecilia Vigil, and UofA professor Dr. Paula Rivadeneira, assistant specialist at the Yuma Agricultural Center.
The club will be sponsoring a Noon Discovery presentation at which Dr. Andre Wright, director of UofA's School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, will be speaking on "From Livestock to Humans: The Wonderful World of Methanogens." This event will take place on Nov. 17 from 1-2 p.m. at the 3C Bldg. in the Francis Morris Boardroom.
Besides the new Wildlife Society, there are three established science-related clubs on campus:
CLUB FIELD DAYS/ TIMES LOCATION CONTACTS
West Club Engineering Tuesdays @1:30-2:30 p.m.
ET 102 Victoria Martinez-Bellow
westclub6@gmail.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/awcwestclub?_rdr=p
Science Club BIO, ENV, CHM, PHY, GEO 2nd & 4th Monday of the month @12:50-1:50 p.m.
SR 108 Matthew Smith & Joann Chang
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/AWCNAU-Yuma-Science-Club/395150473887984
Yuma County Collegiate Young Farmers & Ranchers Agriculture 3rd Tuesday of the month @12:15-1:15 p.m.
AS 106 Sarah Berner & Leigh Loughead
yfryuma@gmail.com.
Wildlife Society Wildlife Biology, Veterinary Medicine, Ecology 3rd Tuesday of the month @1:00-2:00 p.m.
AS 105
Montopoli / Rivadeneira / Renaud / Vigil
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/TWS-Rehab-Yuma/436271626529183
The reasons for joining one of these clubs are many, but perhaps the most important are:
- Peer support. As a member of a club, you have the opportunity to meet other people in your field of interest who are going through the same challenging classes. Together you will find that making it through a science program is easier with the support of peers.
- A line on your resume. Listing a variety of activities in this document is very important when you transfer to a university and when you look for internships or jobs.
- Extracurricular activities. You will have the opportunity for enriching activities like caring for a sick owl, growing plants for the restoration of the Lower Colorado River or helping out at AWC Family Night or at the Sustainability Fair.
- Networking opportunities. You never know who you are going to meet through the club. It might be someone who could open a door or create opportunities for you.
- Community service. You are sure to be involved in something that makes the world a better place.
- They are fun!
These clubs need you to pour in, like those torrential monsoons, and bring new life to these awesome groupings that look forward to working with you, and that will encourage and support your personal growth.
