How to Start a Campus Club (And Why You Should)

So you want to transfer to UCLA or Berkeley, but your resume looks exactly like everyone else's: 3.8 GPA, "Member of Psychology Club," and "Dean's List." That is a good start, but it is not a hook.

Starting a club is arguably the highest-ROI extracurricular activity you can undertake at a community college like Santa Monica College (SMC). It demonstrates leadership, initiative, project management, and the ability to navigate bureaucracy—skills that admissions officers at top universities value immensely.

It separates the "participants" from the "leaders." But how do you actually do it? How do you go from a vague idea to an officially chartered organization with a budget? This guide covers everything from finding an advisor in your **Business 1** class to handling the Inter-Club Council (ICC) paperwork.

Step 1: Finding the "Market Gap"

The biggest mistake students make is launching a generic club. Do not start "The Biology Club." SMC already has a Biology Club, a Pre-Health Association, and probably five other related organizations. If you try to compete with an established club, you will struggle to get members and funding.

Instead, look for a specific niche that is underserved.

• Too Broad: "Computer Science Club" (Already exists, 100+ members).
• Just Right: "AI Ethics & Safety Society" or "Game Development Guild."
• Too Broad: "Business Club."
• Just Right: "Fintech & Crypto Analysis Group" or "SMC Women in Finance."

By niching down, you attract a dedicated group of members who are actually passionate about the specific topic, rather than people just looking for resume filler.

Step 2: The Faculty Advisor (Your Key to Success)

You cannot start a club at SMC (or most community colleges) without a full-time faculty advisor. This is the hardest step. Professors are busy, underpaid, and often already advising other clubs.

Where to find them: Look in your own classes.

The Pitch Script

"Hi Professor [Name], I'm really enjoying your specific lectures on market structures in Econ 1. I noticed that while SMC has an Economics club, there isn't a group dedicated to Behavioral Economics and consumer psychology. I have about 5 students interesting in starting a discussion group around this. We've drafted a constitution and I'd be honored if you could sign off as our advisor. We promise to handle all the paperwork and logistics—we effectively just need your signature and occasional guidance."

Key phrase: "We promise to handle the paperwork." Professors are terrified of administrative burdens. Assure them you will do the heavy lifting.

Step 3: Recruiting Your Officers (The Core Four)

To charter a club, you typically need at least 4 officers:

• President: The vision and face of the club.
• Vice President: The operational manager.
• Secretary: Takes minutes (mandatory for ICC) and handles emails.
• Treasurer: Handles the budget and ICC funding requests.

Warning: Do not just pick your best friends. Pick people who are reliable. If your Treasurer forgets to submit the spending proposal by the Tuesday deadline, your club gets $0 for pizza. If your Secretary forgets to submit minutes, your club can get de-chartered.

Look for students in your English 1 or Math 54 classes who consistently show up on time and take good notes. Those are your officers.

Step 4: The Inter-Club Council (ICC) Meetings

Once you submit your packet to the Office of Student Life (usually digitally or at the Cayton Center), you aren't done. You have to attend the ICC Meetings.

The ICC is the student government branch that oversees clubs. You will have to stand up (or join a Zoom call) and present your club for approval.

• The Installment Dinner: Once approved, many colleges have a formal event to recognize new officers.
• Club Row: SMC hosts huge club fairs. You will need a table, a banner, and candy. This is your primary recruiting ground.

Step 5: Funding (How to get free money)

SMC has money set aside for clubs. You just have to ask for it correctly.

Imagine putting on your transfer application: "Managed a $2,500 budget to organize a campus-wide Sustainability Fair." That sounds a lot better than "Attended meetings."

Summary for Transfer

Starting a club is a lot of work. You will deal with ghosting members, paperwork rejections, and room reservation conflicts. But that struggle IS the essay.

When you write your UC Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), you can tell the story of how you identified a need on campus, rallied a team, secured funding, and built a community. That is exactly the kind of "leadership" UCLA and Berkeley are desperate for.

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