Whether students want to volunteer, play games or make a difference on campus, Clubfest has something for everyone. Hosted by Student Engagement, ClubFest is an opportunity for students to gain knowledge and interest in over 100 clubs on campus.
Baking Club and SCUBA Diving and Snorkeling Club are two clubs that will have a booth at ClubFest, hosted from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Memorial Union.
Baking Club:
Established last year, Baking Club is exactly what it sounds like: a place for students to get together and bake homemade goods, judge each others’ decorating skills and eat a whole lot of food.
President of Baking Club, Olivia Petsche, a senior in English, explains the club “just eats a lot of food and either go, ‘Ohhh this is really great,’ or ‘This isn’t so great’ and laugh.”
Baking Club provides the opportunity to learn new baking techniques, make new friends and try a delicious variety of foods.
The club will kick off its first meeting this year by welcoming new members, introducing their clubs and hosting a sugar cookie decorating contest declaring a winner and prizes.
Unfortunately, Baking Club doesn’t have access to a kitchen to bake all together, but Petsche said the club partnered with a local business. “We partnered with Clouds’ head chef from France this year,” Petsche said. “He has graciously allowed us to host two events this fall semester.”
Members and nonmembers can bake with the head chef, similar to a group kitchen class. The activity is $10 for Baking Club members and $20 for nonmembers but extremely easy to join, according to Petsche.
Last year, the first Baking Club meeting contained over 400 students but slimmed down to about 60 at the latest meeting.
Club members and executives, including Petsche, will be at a booth at ClubFest on Wednesday in the Memorial Union. The Baking Club also has an Instagram @cyclone_bakingclub with more details and a highlight reel with information on how to join.
The club meets from 6-7 p.m. on the first and third Friday of every month in Gilman Hall, room 1352. The first meeting will be held at 6 p.m. this Friday. Everyone is encouraged to come, and no baking experience is required.
SCUBA Diving and Snorkeling Club:
SCUBA Diving and Snorkeling Club is a great opportunity for students who want to obtain new skills in the realm of the water.
This club provides resources for scuba diving certifications, guest speakers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and opportunities to scuba dive or snorkel in freshwater.
The club used to have access to pools at Iowa State, but they are no longer allowed to dive there for safety reasons. However, that has not deterred the club from staying active.
“Instead, we hope to plan a trip to the Ozarks in Missouri this semester,” said Paige Higby, club president and a senior in animal ecology.
Last year, members planned a trip to explore the Atlantic Ocean by snorkeling and scuba diving in Florida, but it was canceled due to the dangers of red tide. In 2019, though, the club was able to travel to Illinois.
The club also offers alternatives to scuba diving.
“If a student doesn’t have a scuba diving certification license on our trip or doesn’t want to dive, they are more than welcome to snorkel as well,” Higby said.
Every meeting holds about 60 members, but active membership stands around 10. Meetings are arranged around everyone’s schedule through a poll in GroupMe in hopes that everyone can attend. During the meetings, members brainstorm ideas for future trips, fundraiser ideas to make money for certifications and get to know other students with similar interests.
The first meeting will be held from 6-7 p.m. Sept. 14. More information will be available at their booth at ClubFest with location and certification questions. No scuba diving or snorkeling experience is required—just love of the open water.
