Only 8% of Students are in extracurricular activities at LLCC.

DJ+Yinka+plays+musing+in+the+Lincoln+Commons

DJ Yinka plays musing in the Lincoln Commons

Evan Langellier, Lamp writer

Only 8 percent of students get involved in extracurricular activities at Lincoln Land Community College. The low-engagement rate leaves many students missing learning opportunities.

“Students come to community college to leave,” said Kyle Roughan, student engagement coordinator at Linocln Land Community College. “They are here to just attend class so they can transfer to a four-year. Getting involved in extracurricular activities doesn’t even cross their mind.”

Roughan, who is in charge of getting students involved in student activities, said it’s a challenge to get people to come to Student Life and look for further opportunities.

“People overlook the powers of extracurricular activities,” Roughan said. “Students also have a limited time here, we don’t know if we’ll have these people for just a semester, for three years, or anything in between.”  

Student Kaden LeGrand is in the majority of students by not being involved in extracurricular activities.

“Nothing offered here at Lincoln Land seems to apply to me,” LeGrand said. “I don’t really see a reason to get involved outside of my schoolwork. I just like to come to school, to do school. I like to get my work done and go home and relax.”  

That is a common refrain. Many just don’t feel like it is important to get involved outside of their schoolwork. They don’t see the benefits that getting engaged outside of the classroom can bring them. Many students think that there are better things to do with their time than spend more of it here at Lincoln Land.  

“I don’t participate in any extracurricular activities because it just doesn’t seem like any of them are for me, there is nothing that jumped off of the page and makes me really want to get involved. I think if there were more options then maybe I could give it a chance,” said student Carson Rayner.

That seems to be the theme with students here, they all say that nothing really pops out at them or catches their eye.  

Getting involved looks good on a resume and builds skills, Roughan said. There are a lot of benefits from student involvements.

The is an “aha moment” for many students, Roughan said. They aren’t involved, but they suddenly realize what they can gain from extracurriculars.

Roughan said his job is to help connect students with activities and opportunities that can help them and enrich their experience at Lincoln Land. He encouraged students to stop by the Student Life office to talk about opportunities, saying he would connect them with areas of interest.

The Student Life office is located in lower Menard Hall across the hall from Quiznos and the vending machines.

A full list of clubs and organizations is also available at the Student Life website: www.llcc.edu/student-life.