College of the Desert hosted its annual fall Club Rush at the Palm Desert campus on Oct. 1, bringing students together to explore campus organizations. The event featured students and professors introducing their clubs and recruiting new members to the campus community.
Club Rush is held each semester to encourage student involvement and highlight the wide range of opportunities available on campus. The event helps new and returning students connect with peers and faculty, explore interests, and build a stronger sense of community.
Jessica Collins, a student and captain of COD’s dance team, Dance Dynasty, explained the significance of her group. “We do all levels of dance. We try to bring in different cultures so that people can learn how dance impacts everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never danced before — you can still join the team!”
When asked what students gain by joining, Collins highlighted the value of hands-on experience. “I have professional dancers come to teach different foundations every week,” she said. Collins added that performing requires plenty of energy and gives people “a way to express themselves through dance.”
Alongside Dance Dynasty, several other student clubs showcased their work and invited new members to join, including the Asian Culture Club. The club promotes diversity by highlighting various Asian ethnicities, including Filipino, Taiwanese, Korean and others. Members host activities such as dance workshops, cooking lessons and fashion events, while also providing scholarship opportunities for students.
“I noticed that we had a lack of Asian representation at COD,” said club member Isaac Ishikawa. “After doing some research, I found that only about 2.8 percent of students identify as Asian. I think we can exchange not only Asian ideas and cultures, but also connect with the Latino community as well and form a great bond with everyone around us.”
Students interested in joining can find the club on Instagram at @asianculturalclub_cod, where a QR code links directly to membership information.
Beyond the clubs themselves, students who attended the event expressed enthusiasm for discovering new opportunities on campus.
“I think this event is important for students because it gets them out of the house and it gets them socializing,” said Mathew Austrian, a psychology major. “I also get to support my friends who are directors of clubs, such as the gaming club, which is pretty great.”
Club Rush not only introduced students to the variety of organizations on campus but also showcased the creativity, diversity and community that thrive at College of the Desert. Whether through dance, culture or shared interests, the event encouraged students to connect, get involved and make their college experience more meaningful.