Get involved with some of KPU’s most active clubs

If you have a passion, chances are there’s a club for you

University life extends well beyond the classroom. Sure, many students can go through their KPU careers only doing what they need to do to earn their degrees, but for those of us looking to find something more out of our time here at KPU, clubs provide us with a sense of community. There are opportunities to learn and grow or to just have some fun with fellow students. New or returning students should check out what KPU clubs have to offer, and to help, we’ve put together a guide to just a few of the most notable clubs on campus.

Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild

Got a story to tell? How about a poem in your heart? The Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild provides student writers of all types—fiction, non-fiction, playwriting, screenwriting, poetry, and more—with a tight community of peers. At Writing Guild meetings, members critique each other’s work, read their writing, and discuss influential literature. The KCWG also puts together their own creative writing podcast, “Comma Splice”.

“It’s a great place to network with other like-minded, creative individuals who are into writing,” says club president Winston Le.

In addition to regular meetings, the Writing Guild also attends literary events around Metro Vancouver. This semester, the Guild plans to attend the Vancouver Writers Festival, the Word Festival, and several other literary outings around the community.

In the fall, the Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild will meet every other week on Mondays and Thursdays, from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. Interested students should check out the Creative Writing Guild Facebook page for more information or to get in touch.

“The Writing Guild is quite a small community, but we really connect with each other and we form lifelong friendships. It’s a great place to absorb that environment and be in a really close knit group,” says Le.

Kwantlen Art Collective

The Kwantlen Art Collective aims to bring together art lovers from around KPU. At Art Collective meetings, students will share information about art events going on at KPU and beyond, as well as opportunities for artists around town. Members build connections based on a mutual love of art. The KAC is open not just to art students but any student with an interest in art.

“[For] a new student, the big thing [about the Collective] would be learning about what art opportunities there are at Kwantlen, what fine arts classes there are, and what to expect,” says Kim Ateah, treasurer for the Kwantlen Art Collective.

To begin the semester, the Collective has been planning an exhibition titled Private Inquiries from a Public Exposure. The exhibition features work from 14 KPU students and will be held at the Newton PopUp Gallery from Aug. 30 to Sept. 16. The Art Collective also invites featured artists to talk about their work throughout the semester.

The Kwantlen Art Collective meets once a week during the fall and winter semesters on Tuesday evenings. Throughout the summer, club leadership has been hard at work organising events, including the exhibition.

Kwantlen Gaming Guild

Gamers of KPU rejoice—there is a club for you! Since its founding, the Kwantlen Gaming Guild has been one of the most popular clubs on campus. Students up for discussing their mutual love of gaming, or just a round of Super Smash Brothers, are welcome to join the group for one of their frequent sessions or large events.

“The Gaming Guild is here to give people a break from their constant studying and grinding, and the monotony of it all,” says club president Murdoch De Mooy, who is also a KSA representative. “We play any sort of games. You name it, we’ll play it.”

The Gaming Guild hosts at least one or two big events per semester, as well as other smaller ones. Some of the bigger events—such as the club’s famous “Multiplayer Madness” and “Night of the Gaming Dead” events—draw as many as 300 students. This semester, the Guild plans to expand their events onto the Richmond and Langley campuses.

The KGG hosts weekly meetings Tuesdays at 3:00 where they discuss goings on, plan events, take ideas from members, and of course, hold a gaming session. At recent meetings, the new release, Monster Hunter Generations, has been the game of choice. Those interested can find more info on the group’s facebook page.

“It’s a place where you can hang out, relax, and hopefully survive another school year,” says De Mooy.

Women Organising Opportunities for Women

Feminists on campus may be interested in seeing what Women Organising Opportunities for Women has to offer. The club strives to create a safe space for women on campus and advance gender equality, and is open to students of any gender identity.

“WOOW was created for the purpose of providing a space for women, to talk about women’s issues and intersectionality, different topics that women may not feel comfortable talking about in a more public setting,” says Natasha Lopes, elected member of council for WOOW and vice-president student life for the Kwantlen Student Association, as well as the KSA’s women’s representative.

Women Organising Opportunities for Women has also had a hand in designing the policies and programing for KPU’s new women’s centre.

“We’re really trying to make a safe and inclusive space for all self-identified women,” says Lopes.

Events planned by WOOW for the new semester include self defence classes and yoga classes.

WOOW has been semi-active over the summer and will be fully active for the fall semester. WOOW representatives have been busy over the summer working on programming and agenda items for the fall. Scheduling for regular meetings has yet to be announced, but interested students can stay up to date by following WOOW’s Facebook page.

And many more!

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the clubs at KPU. For student entrepreneurs, Enactus KPU aims to create positive change through entrepreneurship, or there’s the Kwantlen Entrepreneurial Student Association. Those looking to help protect this planet of ours may be interested in the Environmental Sustainability Academic Association. Up for a game of cricket? Check out the Kwantlen Cricket Club. Students of Colour can support each other through the Students of Colour Collective.

There are so many clubs to explore. To see them all, check out the Kwantlen Student Association’s club page.