Multiple clubs and organizations open to student involvement exist here on campus. Many freshmen in need of mentoring also exist here on campus. While I usually scrutinize and ridicule the former and completely ignore the latter, this column serves as an exception.

With graduation looming closer and closer, I have to give a shout-out to my home college, the College of Arts and Sciences, the school that nursed me and raised me from a little freshman fledgling to the vastly accomplished success I am now. With more than 4,000 students enrolled, the College of Arts and Sciences remains the largest college within our university. But with its wide span of majors, the College of Arts and Sciences students do not share the same sense of unity as students in many of the other colleges.

The College of Arts and Sciences may be working to change the lack of camaraderie, offering an opportunity for current freshmen, sophomores and juniors to do some bonding and some giving back to our good old home college. The new ‘Dean’s Team’ is hoping to attract students to represent the College of Arts and Sciences and work with prospective students and incoming freshmen. The work is not hard, the benefits appear numerous, and the title is a prestigious one — the whole thing pretty much sells itself.

Dean’s Team member responsibilities include assisting with Opening Weekend and recruitment events in the fall and spring, calling newly admitted students to congratulate them and helping with the First-Year Forum, during which students will collaborate with faculty members on how best to impart wisdom on innocent little freshmen.

The college is offering volunteers one hour of academic credit per semester, free apparel, a personalized letter of appreciation from the dean (which will look awesome in your employment portfolio) and two honorary receptions, at which the College of Arts and Sciences faculty will ask each member what kind of food he or she would like and serve it in overwhelming amounts. If you are enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences and don’t already know this, allow me to be the first to tell you: The people who work there are really nice and, unlike other professors, well aware of the fact that this may not be your only commitment.

Juniors, you will be looking for work soon enough. Sophomores, you’re halfway there. And freshmen, you know you all think you’re smarter than the average freshman. At one time or another, we were all those same high school students with the overly concerned parents and the secret desire to make super cool older friends. Now that those days are long gone, it wouldn’t kill any of us to spend some time talking to prospective students. Why not give it a shot? Somebody’s got to rep the College of Arts and Sciences when I’m gone.

Marina Charny is a senior English and textual studies and writing major. Her column usually appears every Monday. She can be reached at mcharny@syr.edu.

Published on February 21, 2011 at 12:00 pm