By Angelina Castro '16
Siena offers its students a variety of ways to get involved in campus life and connect with people who share similar interests. The College has more than 70 clubs and organizations that cover a broad range of topics from academic and athletic to student government and social groups.
To help students find organizations they’re interested in joining, the College puts on the Club Fair each semester. “It gives one outlet for the students to go see all of the clubs and find out what they’re interested in,” said Shane Cronin’16.
Still, when he started at Siena, Cronin couldn’t find his niche. The biology education major has a passion for hip-hop dancing and while Siena offers a number of dance clubs and teams, Cronin didn’t find one that fit.
“As much as I liked the other clubs, they didn’t really provide what I was looking for, so I took it upon myself to start Hip Hop Club,” Cronin said.
A couple of years ago, Cronin worked with computer science major Kevin Danaher ’17 and other students to create Siena’s Hip-Hop Club.
“We only had approximately 12 members when we started, but after the Club Fair, we got a lot more interest,” Cronin said. Since it launched, the Hip-Hop Club has performed on campus in Fall Fusion and Musical Mayhem, and at fundraisers like the Best Buddies Friendship Walk and Relay for Life.
“To be able to get a group of students, create something and present it to the other students on campus is just an amazing experience,” Danaher said. “Having people come up to you and be like, ‘Oh, I saw Hip-Hop club at Fall Fusion! You guys were awesome! I loved it!’ is just a great feeling.”
For Cronin and Danaher, participating in the Hip-Hop Club became more than pursuing a hobby, it has become the pursuit of their passion. The experience of performing with the Hip-Hop Club inspired several club members, including Cronin and Danaher, to audition for the FOX television show “So You Think You Can Dance.”
“I’ve always wanted to pursue dance. I’ve never really been a good performer,” Danaher said. “Being in Hip-Hop Club and seeing all of the people who are weaker dancers but stronger performers really pushed me to try to work on that for “So You Think You Can Dance”.”
Whether you decide to take the stage, play a sport or share conversations about your favorite course of study, Siena College probably has a club or organization for you. If not, you can always follow Cronin’s lead, even if you have two left feet.
“Siena is what you make of it,” Cronin said. “Go to the Club Fair and check it out. There are always going to be clubs that interest you and if there isn’t, it’s not too hard to make one.”
Click here to learn more about all of Siena’s clubs and organizations.
