Staff Editorial – Involvement Trumps Position

We have a lot of organizations here at MHS.

From smaller clubs focusing on the most niche of hobbies to larger ones hoping to spark change within the student body, there is a club or organization for every interest imaginable.

And yet, there seems to be a disconnect between the goals of these organizations and the students who are enrolled in them.

Organizations start initiatives in hopes of raising awareness for causes that matter and helping those in need but how many of the people in these clubs are truly engaging in them for a purpose beyond adding a bullet point to a resume?

Beyond these initiatives, several of our clubs at our school seek to accomplish the same goals, with the same overarching goals and ideologies of working towards a better school and community in very similar manners. And rather than collaborating or merging clubs, these organizations are sprawling in size with different presidents, vice presidents, secretaries, treasurers, and every position in between, resulting in weekly fundraisers and students applying for positions in several clubs only to leave any that they do not gain leadership positions in.

It feels like these club variants exist purely so more students have a chance to gain titles rather than spark actual change, and that’s disappointing.

There’s this misconception that the only way to be recognized by colleges or other institutions is to join as many clubs as humanly possible to list their names on applications despite not participating in a single one of them. This extends to leadership positions, and considering the abundance of clubs at our school, the impact of holding one is trivialized in a school where students hold several.

Furthermore, the leadership position is not always indicative of the level of commitment one holds within the organization and can sideline the efforts of general members genuinely attempting to make a difference.

This is not a new issue, but it has become glaringly obvious due to Mason’s large size. It’s also an issue that becomes increasingly baffling when considering that these clubs were invented as both an outlet for student expression and students to engage in what they enjoy with similarly passionate people, not a battleground for students to fight over titles and positions to put on a sheet that admissions officers will skim.

Your position and resume don’t matter to colleges or anyone else. Your involvement does.

So instead of writing your fifth leadership position application, find one or two clubs that you connect with. Proposing new and exciting initiatives, organizing meetings with fellow club members, and collaborating with other clubs are all activities that don’t require a leadership position to accomplish and demonstrate commitment in a tangible manner.

Most importantly, getting involved in ways beyond attending club meetings is what will allow you to develop and enhance any passion you have for the club.

And that passion will burn far brighter than any position you could put on a resume.