Join the club
Every year UChicago students venture forth into an enchanting universe of potions, dragons, and oversized chess pieces.
Emily Wang, ’14, and Colin Bradley, ’14 | Photography by Tom Tian, AB’10
No, it’s not Hogwarts—but it’s the next best thing: the University’s Recognized Student Organization fair, which kicks off a year of exploring, self-discovery, and newfound commitments. This September rain forced the annual event indoors from its usual quad location to the Henry Crown Field House, where an initial trickle of students eventually gave way to a packed house. Here were this year’s sights and sounds, as seen and heard by the Core.
CHICAGO DRAGON DANCE
Joe Zhu, ’14, founder of Chicago Dragon Dance, has ambitions for the group. “The dragon itself [is] nine people; then we have a percussion section. Right now we have a full team plus some, but we’re trying to expand into a second dragon,” he says. “You can combine the spirals with two dragons.”
UNIVERSITY BALLET OF CHICAGO
Any divas in ballet? “Um, well, not in UBallet,” Candice Schwartzenburg, ’14, laughs. “I’ve definitely come across that in the past. But UBallet is a really great community. We’re getting closer and closer every year. We do a lot of really cool social events just for our dancers, and we get together a lot. Everybody makes friends with everybody.” Laughing, Schwartzenburg adds, “It’s definitely a correct stereotype, but not in UBallet!”
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FIRST RESPONDER CORPS
Katie DiScipio, ’13: “We just started up recently as a state-accredited EMS unit that is operating on campus.” Adrian Gomez, ’14: “Right now we’re doing event standby.” But, he notes, “You can’t call us up and say, ‘Hey, I’m having a heart attack.’ The first event we did was convocation. ... You’re going to start seeing us more at events—well, hopefully you won’t be seeing us, but we’ll be there.”
UCHICAGO SOCIETY OF PHYSICS STUDENTS
Society president Bill Dague, ’13, stirs up a treat for a swarm of confused first-years: “Liquid nitrogen ice cream! Science!” One of SPS’s primary activities: “We watch movies and point out the bad science in there.”
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CHESS CLUB
Chess Club president Spencer Bledsoe, ’14, says chess is “kind of like a sport, just not as physical, and it’s a healthy way for me to channel my energy.” Does competition create tension among team members? Bledsoe smiles: “No, we’re a happy family.”
MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
According to Secretary General Gabriel Panek, ’13, MUNUC is “focused on teaching high schoolers about public speaking, about international relations, and giving them a really fun and educational experience.” The best part of being secretary general? “I get to wear whatever hat I want.”
PHINIX DANCE CREW
“I would describe my dancing as creepy,” says Andrew Rosner, ’13, a founding member of this dance group, started in 2009. “What you call me is a popper, which specializes in roboting, electronics. ... I’ve been trying to branch out. I’ve been taking contemporary ballet classes.”
There are more than 400 recognized student organizations at UChicago. Here’s a short list:
Aikido
Argentine Tango Club
Chicago Men’s A Capella
Chicago Shady Dealer (humor magazine)
Glass Eyeball: The Photography Club
Guild of Student Carillonneurs
Jugglers Enriching Lives Like Yours (JELLO)
Le Vorris & Vox Circus
Men in Service (community service)
MODA (fashion)
Muslim Students Association
Occam’s Razor (comedy troupe)
Outdoor Adventure Club
Platypus (politics)
Quidditch
Sailing
Society of Women in Physics
UDig! (archaeology)
Vita Excolatur (erotica magazine)
WHPK
