S.C.U.M, one of the clubs that participated in the first Winter ClubFest, stayed true to its motto, “Blowing Things Up in the Name of Science”, Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. by using harmless chemical reactions to make bring bangs which echoed through the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Burning chemicals and handing out frozen marshmallows were some of the ways S.C.U.M tried to attract new members and distinguish itself as unique among the group of nearly 80 student organizations.

“Based on how things are going and the positive feedback that I’ve been hearing form students and [campus] groups, I think that this event will become an annual event,” said Laura Bestler-Wilcox, assistant director of the Student Activities Center.

Winter ClubFest is an opportunity for students to discover how they can get involved on campus, Bestler-Wilcox said. Students are able to meet with representatives from clubs at Iowa State, and to see what these clubs are about and how they can become involved in those clubs. This event will be beneficial next year to most students, with a majority of the dorms incorporating the Fresh Start program.

“Fall ClubFest was more extensive and there were more clubs. Plus, students only have two hours tonight compared to the longer time that was available at Fall ClubFest. I like Winter ClubFest, though. It’s a good way to get involved during the winter months, and I hope that they continue it,” said Jessica Spooner, sophomore in journalism and mass communications.

“[Winter ClubFest] is good for freshmen. They were overwhelmed at the start with having to adjust to college. Now, they have a semester under their belt and they have their feet. Now, they’re ready to go out and see how they can get involved,” said Trenton Norman, member of the Leadership Today Project and freshman in industrial engineering.

Winter ClubFest also gives student organizations the chance to publicize their group and to recruit new members.

“I think that Winter ClubFest is a great idea. I’m surprised at the number of people that showed up tonight,” said Liz Potter, member of S.C.U.M, Iowa State’s Chemistry Club and sophomore in chemistry. “[Winter ClubFest] is a great way for us and other clubs to get some publicity. Most students don’t know that you don’t have to be a chemistry major to be part of S.C.U.M. We are a performing group, so we’re looking for people with a performing arts background, people in engineering to help us build stuff that we use, and other people with different backgrounds and majors. We just want people to know this and Winter ClubFest helps us to do that.”

The Dance Dance Revolution attracted students to their club by giving people the chance to dance on a mat to one of the video games that the club plays.

Winter ClubFest gives the most help to student organizations that weren’t able to participate in Fall ClubFest and to groups that have just been started at Iowa State.

Groups in critical need of publicity can find that this event gives them their needed publicity. One such campus group that has recently been created is the Leadership Today Project.

“Since [the Leadership Today Project] is a new organization, we are very excited at being given the opportunity to have name recognition and to find members,” said Amber Herman, founder of the Leadership Today Project and freshman in public service and administration in agriculture.