Not Finding Your Interests On Campus?

Texas Tech University offers more than 450 student-run organizations open for anyone to join. These organizations include everything from service to multicultural to religious, and so on. That should mean that finding a group to join on campus would be easy, right?

Savannah Thode, a junior political science major from Dilley, Texas, had a different experience. During Christmas break last year, Thode enjoyed spending time with her family practicing trap and skeet shooting. Hoping to return in the spring to join a competitive team for shotgun sports, she found that Texas Tech did not offer any type of team she was looking for.

“After meeting many with the same problem,” Thode said, “it was decided to start the organization on our own, giving people in the Texas Tech community the ability to practice and have fun being educated and skilled in shotgun sports.”

Thode and her shotgun

Savannah Thode shooting trap and skeet with her family in Sequin, Texas.

Thode said she received tons of support from her friends that wanted to help her create this organization, including people interested in joining. She was able to create the executive board before fully figuring out the direction the organization would be taking. The Lubbock community has also been supportive by offering their resources and wanting to give sponsorships to the organization. The owner of the South Plains Gun Range, Walt Westley, and his daughter, Brandi Hataway, have helped Thode immensely on her journey by offering their range for practice location.

The Center for Campus Life, located on the second floor of the Student Union Building, is where students can register a new organization. They were very helpful in showing Thode what paperwork needed to be completed and turned back in, she said. After hours of filling out forms and retrieving signatures, the first step was done. The next step was to meet one-on-one with a Center for Campus Life adviser.

Will Lopez, the risk management chair, was the one Thode needed to speak to. After emailing back and forth, they were able to schedule a meeting.

“Basically the meeting goes over your ideas and explains the benefits and guidelines of being an on campus organization with Texas Tech,” Thode said. “After the meeting, the waiting for approval begins.”

The approval process is a 30-day trial that allows organizations to create their bylaws and constitutions. During these days, the organization needs to elect executive members, such as president, vice president, treasurer, and have two potential members. They also need to have a university staff member agree to be their adviser. Since Thode already had each of these things set up, she was quickly approved before her 30 days were over.

The last step to becoming an official Texas Tech organization is to create an account on Orgsync. This website contains all the paperwork that was turned in to the Center for Campus Life, including bylaws. It also has all of the information about your organization and members.

“Overall, my experience has been nice,” Thode said. “I wouldn’t say it’s exactly easy, but the benefits are outrageous. I have had fun meeting new people, creating new friendships, and networking. I believe the fun has barely begun. I am so excited for this organization and the members.”

 

The first meeting for Tech Trap & Skeet Club is Friday, September 13 at 6:30 in the Caprock Room, 216, located on the second floor of the Student Union Building.

To find out more information about this club, check Orgsync Tech Trap & Skeet or contact Savannah Thode at techtrapskeet@gmail.com or Catherine Nutter at cathe.nutter@ttu.edu.

 

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About Olivia Utley

Advertising Manager - Advertising major, Class of 2014
Olivia is from Plano, Texas. She started noticing her love for creativity while taking art classes growing up. She plans on working for an advertising agency in Dallas, where she can gain experience to open her own agency specializing in outdoor advertising.