Getting involved at the University of Louisville as an online student can be a rewarding experience that allows you to connect with your peers, faculty and the campus community. Whether you are taking classes completely online or via a hybrid structure (partly in-person and partly online), there are no shortages of ways to get involved; after all we are all part of one Cardinal family!
While some of the clubs and organizations offer in-person meetings, many allow students to join in the fun virtually. Check out this list of the top 9 ways to get involved as a UofL Online student:
- Clubs and Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) – UofL hosts over 400 organizations that cover a wide variety of student interests. The lists of clubs vary greatly from the African American Female Initiative to the Biomedical Engineering Society to the Louisville Cinema Society. While some of the clubs meet regularly on campus, many offer students a virtual option for involvement. For a complete list of student organizations and ways to join, click here.
- Cultural Center – The vision of the Cultural Center is to offer an inclusive and accepting campus climate free of bias and hate where students, faculty, staff, and alumni work together to create positive change in the community. The Cultural Center offers both in-person and virtual programs to help our students work together to create a positive change in the community. Some events offered by the Cultural Center include:
- September -Celebrating Latinidad
- October – Celebrating Pride
- November – Celebrating Indigenous Heritage
- January – Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.
- February – Celebrating Black History Month
- March – Celebrating Women, Femmes and Non-Binary People
- April – Celebrating AAPI History
- Disability Resource Center– In recognition of disability as an important part of the diversity of our community, the Disability Resource Center fosters an inclusive campus climate through education, service, collaboration, and outreach to the University of Louisville community. The center provides support for students with documented disabilities by promoting equal access to all programs and services. Some of the online programs available to virtual and in-person students include the Disability Advocacy Online Training, Disability Awareness Panel as well as a list of a list of Disability Allies whom students can reach out to. For a complete list of students and staff who participate in the Disability Ally Program, click here.
- International Center – The mission of the International Center is to promote and enhance the University’s goals by creating a community that appreciates global interdependence. The overarching goal of the International Center is to increase the number of international students at all academic levels; expand the number of students participating in study abroad programs; facilitate graduate student and faculty international research and travel; and provide quality services in support of these and other international initiatives. If you are interested in studying abroad, even while being an online student, the International Center is a great place to start to learn about the various programs and offerings. For a list of FAQs and information on how to start the study abroad process, click here.
- LGBT Center – The University of Louisville LGBT Center is committed to dismantling CIS-heteropatriarchy and other systems of oppression. The Center strives to affirm LGBTQ+ students, staff and faculty through an anti-racist lens, rooted in social justice and intersectionality. Some of the programs and groups for students interested in joining include the Aros and Aces group, the Cardinal Drag Haus, the Fellowship of Christian Queers and much more. To learn more about the LGBT Center and their various offerings for involvement, click here.
- Women’s Center – Established in 1991, the Women’s Center serves as a resource on women’s issues and works to promote an atmosphere of diversity for students, faculty, staff, and the community. The Women’s Center assists the University in achieving its goals by implementing programs that enhance, support, and empower women on campus and online. The Center and its programs are open to all students without regard to gender.
- Career Service Centers – The University of Louisville offers a broad array of career services through several offices on campus.
Whether you are a current student, alumni, or staff member, the Career Services Center offers resources to enhance career opportunities and programs designed to prepare everyone to make the transition from college to their careers. The four Career Centers to help our students find employment post-graduation include:
While the Career Service Center offices are housed on campus, they also offer virtual workshops, virtual interview prep videos, resume writing seminars, cover letter critique virtual sessions and much more. For a complete list of all online workshops and offerings, click here.
8. Office of Student Involvement – The Office of Student Involvement at the University of Louisville provides activities and services for the campus community. Through various boards, committees, cultural, social, and recreational programs, aiming to make the out-of-class experience a part of the total educational process while advancing the institutional mission. While some of the programs offered by the Office of Student Involvement happen on campus, there is a wide variety of options for the virtual student. These include:
- Virtual volunteering – volunteering virtually is a great way to give back to the campus community, even if you are not living on campus.
A great resource for students Virtual classes – the Office of Student Involvement offers several virtual classes for students to watch from anywhere in the world. These classes include Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems, Planet Fitness Classes, Mindful Meditation classes, and even virtual cooking classes. For more information on the virtual class offerings, click here.
- Virtual travel opportunities – do you have the travel bug, but lack the means to take the plunge? The Office of Student Involvement offers several virtual travel opportunities including a trip to Ellis Island, Colonial Williamsburg and even the Great Wall of China. For more information on the virtual travel offerings, click here.
9. Can’t seem to find what you are looking for in the list above? Create something yourself! UofL provides all students, staff, and faculty free access to video conferencing with Microsoft Teams. This tool is used as a great way to “meet” up with friends and classmates virtually. For tips and more information on using teams for the first time, click here.
No matter where you are on the journey to complete your degree, the University of Louisville wants to make sure you never feel alone. Our resources are available to all students in the hopes that you get involved – whether you are on-campus or remote. We can’t wait to see what you get involved with!