From paintball enthusiasts to environmental activists, the more than 160 student groups at Binghamton University cover an incredible scope of hobbies, cultures and skills. Below, five such groups are profiled.
Aikido
Aikido Club is based on the traditional Japanese martial art of self defense. Led by co-Presidents Arthur Delpup and Emre Yetgin, Aikido aims to educate students on methods of attack, as well as protection techniques.
The group was founded last semester, with a following of 40 members. This semester, the club has recruited 20 more members interested in learning the traditional craft.
Unlike karate, which relies on physical strength, Aikido stresses a quiet and peaceful method of combat. Meetings proceed in a traditional dojo style, where the instructor will integrate Aikido principles into exercises and stretches.
“Aikido reinforces the idea of peaceful redirection of energy and encourages meaningful connections between those practicing,” Delpup, a sophomore electrical engineering major, said. “I have been doing Aikido for most of my life and [Aikido Club] provides me an opportunity … to practice while attending Binghamton University.”
Aikido meets in the East Gym Mondays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 1:30 p.m.
Paintball Club
Founded a year ago, Paintball Club members say the group aims to bring pure recreational fun and competition for players of all levels. Co-founded by President Jason King and Vice President Lawrence Faulstich, the club now has 71 participating members.
Meetings are designed to notify members of safety and conduct rules, as well as markers on campus. Currently, the club plays at EMR paintball in New Milford, Pa., one of the largest outdoor paintball fields in the nation.
“This club has been a long, arduous journey towards a more diverse campus,” Faulstich said. “[This] has given BU one more reason to be SUNY’s best.”
According to Faulstich, a junior French and English double major, the club is looking forward to including speedball as the latest addition to their activities.
“We are … currently in the process of starting a competitive speedball team,” he said. “We intend to make this sub-committee Binghamton University’s first competitive speedball team that will compete in college leagues.”
Campus Climate Challenge
Campus Climate Challenge at BU is a subdivision of a nationwide movement aimed to “stop global warming, reduce pollution and build a clean energy future,” group President Josephine Chu said.
Chu, a junior environmental studies and political science double major, said the club brings BU students together to work on environmental issues. Over a semester, the club has already increased its membership from 25 to 50 members.
According to Chu, the meetings are intended to “reduce carbon footprint [on campus] and promote sustainable behavior.”
Presently, the club is working on a local foods and energy-efficiency campaign. They intend to send 14 members to join college students across the nation at the Power Shift conference, a meeting hosted in Washington, D.C. Members meet weekly in room Science I, room 162, on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
Binghamton’s Got Talent
Originally created as an resident assistant program by BU student Brooke Schneider, Binghamton’s Got Talent unites campus communities together in the spirit of performance. The club serves to organize the campus-wide event, from arranging finances to facilitating the acts.
According to Julie Munn, event coordinator for Binghamton’s Got Talent (BGT) and Pipe Dream’s photo editor, BGT aims to foster a sense of community on campus.
“I got involved as an RA and I really saw how the whole campus got involved,” Munn said. “We give students a chance to showcase their talents to their peers that they may not be able to show in a normal campus setting.”
Although an average of 300 students show up on the day of the event, 25 members are solely responsible for running the show.
Proceeds raised from Binghamton’s Got Talent are donated to St. Jude Children’s hospital in Memphis.
Water Polo
Water Polo Club at BU aims to practice the oldest Olympic team sport on a competitive level.
While membership has maintained an average of 10 players, the club is expecting 25 participants, including returning members, this semester. According to Caleb DeGroote, the club president and a political science and music double major, the water polo club competes against other teams under the New York division of the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA), one of the largest water polo conferences in the nation.
Strong bonds are created aside from the competition, DeGroote said.
“The group is special to me because of the friendships that I’ve formed,” DeGroote said. “The team is very welcoming and accepting to newcomers; if a person is going to get in the water and work hard with us, they’re part of the team immediately.”