Student Organizations at Georgia State are excited for online students like you who want to network and get involved. The Student Life Office is happy to serve as a resource to connect all students as they work to meet their leadership goals. With over 550 Student Organizations across six Georgia State campuses, including online, there are ample opportunities to get engaged and connect with peers. The virtual student can use the Panther Involvement Network to locate groups looking for members, attend an event online or in person, volunteer on or off-campus, or start a new social group for like-minded peers.
Once you log into the Panther Involvement Network (PIN), you can search through the complete list of organizations, search for organizations on a specific campus, specific categories, and search keywords. PIN can be used to view and connect with student organizations, view upcoming events, and track involvement. It also lists upcoming events hosted by organizations and departments, such as information sessions, training, workshops, retreats, service events, and more. Events can also be filtered by campus, organization categories, perks, themes, and keywords.
If you still can't find an organization to match your needs, you can always start one! After doing diligent research to see if an organization you are looking for does not exist, you must find five other students interested and one faculty or staff member that the organization will be registered under to serve as the campus advisor. Then, the primary contact of your new organization will be required to attend the submission review meeting, student organization orientation, and PIN training. All of these will be facilitated through the Student Life Office. Remember to supply the Student Organization Office with a Constitution before your organization is accepted.
Once signed in, play around with all the tools to better familiarize yourself with them. In the Events tab, you can sort by any combination of Branch, Theme, Category, or search for Perks, and you can even filter by online-only events. The Categories menu is where the most customized search options are located, like searching specifically for off-campus events and events on other campuses. Under the Organizations tab, there are two search options - branch and category, and again these are fully customizable to your needs.
PIN also has a Service tab where you can sign up to volunteer for community service. Community partners record participation, certify service hours and ensure that you receive proper credit. Sign-up and participation records are self-managed through the system; this allows online learners to engage with service and leadership opportunities through virtual service projects or by connecting with their local community in person.
Georgia State provides many resources for student leaders to assist in running organizations. Students can attend various training hosted by the office and request organization-specific training online. Other resources provided online include PIN management information, tips on recruitment and retention, and more.
Georgia State University also offers leadership programs and organization advisement online or in-person throughout the year. Have fun exploring the numerous avenues for involvement at Georgia State University and be sure to stop by the Student Life Office on campus to learn more.