Find Your College Niche: A DU Student's Perspective

There are a huge amount of clubs and organizations offered at University of Denver. Whatever your interest, there is most likely a campus organization that will relate to it. From Alpine Club to DU Grilling Society to Francoscope French Club, there is truly something for everyone. With such a vast variety of activities, it’s impossible to be aware of even half of the ones available. This week, I interviewed Ian Parker, a DU sophomore and piano performance major at the Lamont School of Music, who is a member of two diverse organizations: steel drum ensemble and DU Club Cycling.

Photo from Flickr.com by tolomea

Steel drum ensemble is a “fun and exciting” group that is associated with the Lamont School of Music. “We meet for rehearsal twice a week and perform three times a year at the end of each quarter,” Parker says. He emphasizes that Tom Miller, the director, is “great at working with everyone in the band.” He describes all of the aspects of participating in this unique group, including rehearsal, performances, fundraisers, and promotions, as “just downright fun!”

Parker is not only a member of steel drum ensemble; he is also a member of DU Cycling, which is a club team that competes with other area universities and colleges. He states that we are “a small team, but growing and always open to new members!” Why did Parker choose to join the cycling team? He says that it “really drew my attention because I have always been a cyclist, but I have never really had a chance to race at a high level. I took this opportunity to meet some new people and get a chance to stay in shape. It’s a great group of guys and I love riding all the time.”

These two organizations may seem incredibly different on the surface. However, Parker says that he got involved with steel drum ensemble after being urged to attend one of the concerts by one of the senior members of the cycling team, who is also a percussionist. “The crowds overlap, and they are very similar in the quality of people!” he says with a smile.

Even though DU might not have the biggest campus around, there is always something to do, no matter what your area of interest. Explore what’s out there. Expand your horizons. Take a simple look around, and you never know – you just may find your next passion!