Extracurricular Activities

C.A.S.E. (Center for Autism Spectrum Enrichment): Students from all majors provide a service for local children and teens with Asperger’s and High Functioning Autism by providing opportunities for social, emotional and educational enrichment. CASE also provides educational support meetings for family members of these children and teens.

Enactus: The Enactus team is a group of students of diverse backgrounds, majors, and experiences who come together to locate needs in the community and develop creative ways of meeting those needs. We do not look to just “give” people fish but instead we pride ourselves on “teaching” people to fish and creating sustainable projects economically, environmentally and socially. We then compile these projects and present them before CEOs and Presidents of globally known and recognized Fortune 500 companies.

Epsilon Chi: It is the intention of Epsilon Chi to connect the education students on campus with the community around them, as well as the one they reside in. This means creating opportunities with principals, administrators, schools, teachers, professors and other education majors on campus.

Model Arab League: Model Arab League is an event sponsored through the National Council on U.S. – Arab Relations in which students learn about the politics and history of the Arab world as they study a particular Arab nation and then prepare to “represent” that nation at a mock Arab League summit. Every year, SAU sends a team to the Model Arab League convention held at a participating Michigan university.

Multicultural and Intercultural Student Organizations: Students of any color or background are celebrated and supported on Spring Arbor University’s campus. With over ten organizations dedicated to fostering a dialogue between various ethnicities and promoting multiculturalism on SAU’s campus, there is something for everyone.

Social Etiquette Dinner: As students look to graduation, they are invited to participate in the Social Etiquette Dinner that happens every February, where an expert leads students through a formal dinner, instructing them on the dos and don’ts of dining in a professional setting. This is a service offered through the Career Services office.

Social Work Association: This group is open to all social work majors and those expressing an interest in social work as a major. Social work majors elect cabinet members and have total control and responsibility for programming within the guidelines for student organizations at Spring Arbor University. The goals that this organization established for itself are:

• To create a greater awareness of the community and the community’s needs.
• Inform students to create new resources if current resources do not exist or fail to meet the needs of the community.
• Give students an opportunity to interact with other students in their major.
• Motivate students to become involved in some form of social work.

Undergraduate Research Symposium: Each spring, Spring Arbor hosts a symposium where students can present their research to their peers and professors. The symposium is run similar to an academic conference: there are concurrent sessions of three or four presenters with time for questions at the end of each panel. In addition, the top three essays receive cash prizes.

80s Skate Night: Grab your tracksuits, your fluorescent leg warmers, and your distressed denim jackets! SAU reserves the roller rink for one crazy and colorful night for you to turn back the clock and have some 80’s-style fun.

Arbor Games: Think the Olympics, throw in some silly games, some tests of endurance, strength and coordination, complete with fun costumes and unpredictable team skits and you’ve got a glimpse of this popular annual event at SAU.

Block Party: It’s everything you’d want from an end-of-the-summer block party, minus your mom’s potato salad. Campus members play sports, participate in fun games, grill some hotdogs and just enjoy being together.

Choptoberfest: So you think you can saw? Prove it at Choptoberfest! Participate in an assortment of lumber jack and highlander games where it’s survival of the fittest. The event is hosted by the Ogle Villages.

Feminar: No boys allowed! This is a girls-ONLY night where Holton Health Center staff facilitate discussions about health, relationships and spirituality…with a side of chocolate.

Late-Night Breakfast: Finals got you down? Not anymore. On the night before the start of final exam week, the SAU faculty and staff serve up breakfast and deliver their own entertainment for the sleep-deprived and energy-deficient students.

Lip Sync: You can’t miss this night of wacky performances in the spring. It’s Karaoke at the next level. Students, and sometimes staff or faculty, practice for weeks to put on the greatest musically dubbed performance of the year.

Lowell Luau:  Aloha! Dig out your grass skirt and lei and do the hula at this annual Lowell Hall event. There is dancing on the basketball court, Karaoke, snacks, volleyball and more! This is a great way to kick off the Fall Semester at SAU!

Mystery Date Night: Hoping to spend some time with that special someone… but you don’t know who that special someone is?! Look no further than Andrews Hall Mystery Date Night! Let our warm and friendly event heat up your icy cold November heart with fun laughs and free hot cocoa! What are the chances you’ll meet your future spouse? Well, it’s definitely not guaranteed, but you will at least have a good time.

Porchfest: This is the most highly anticipated event of the year, this SNL-format variety show brings together the most (and least) talented people that SAU has to offer. One of the longest-running and most historic traditions on campus, this is one event you will remember for years to come.

Salon Des Refuses: All dressed up and no place to go? Come on over to Andrews Hall for the art show of the ages. Often featuring artwork by Jonathan Rinck, the show is primarily a collection of work created by SAU art students. It’s a celebration of the time and effort the students put into preparing for the many wonderful art shows put on by the art department here.

Skating for Tuques: This is serious business. Demonstrate your ice-skating expertise in a series of competitions and win a tuque (a cool hat). This event takes place at the Optimist Ice Arena in Jackson and is sure to be a fun time!

Art Shows: Every fall and spring, senior art majors are given the chance to showcase their most awe-inspiring artistic endeavors in the Ganton Art Gallery.

Chapel Band: The Chapel Band performs at the beginning of almost every chapel service – leading the students, faculty and staff into a time of worship to the Lord. The Chapel Band encourages students of a variety of musical backgrounds to try out for this exciting and crucial part of each chapel service.

Gospel Choir: This choir brings together a diverse set of singers and musicians to clap, shout and sing their praises to God. The group performs for area churches, prisons and every year, organizes a Gospel Fest, which is an eclectic performance featuring a wide variety of talent.

Jazz Band: All of Spring Arbor’s instrumental musicians are encouraged to try out for the Jazz Band, which performs concerts throughout the year, and organizes the annual Jazz Bash. For more information, please contact the music department at 517.750.6493.

Musical Ensembles: Those gifted with musical ability are welcome to try out for a variety of musical ensembles including: Chamber Singers, Concert Band, Concert Choir and Wellspring. These groups perform throughout the year and also tour around the country. For more information, please contact the music department at 517.750.6493.

Radio Stations: SAU Radio broadcasts from Sayre Decan Hall on campus. 106.9 HOME.fm is a professionally staffed commercial radio station airing throughout south-central Michigan that trains student broadcasters throughout the day, playing Music that Makes You Feel Good. The Message is an online Christian radio station where students interested in radio can get their start. Students volunteer as they learn alongside professionals on the air.

SAU Hearts Drama: From dazzling musicals, to cutting-edge black-box theater performances, to award-winning plays, the Spring Arbor theater program offers a wide range of theatrical outlets enough to sate the appetite of the most enthusiastic theater guru.

Will Shoot for Credit: A semester-long course that focuses on short film production. Anyone is welcome to come to the class to learn more about production. Students pitch short film ideas and four of them are chosen to produce. Auditions for actors, script readings with the cast, storyboards, and props are done outside of class before the scheduled production date. The director works with the editor to finalize the short film, and is screened at the Will Shoot for Credit event. View short films from past Will Shoot for Credit events.

The G.K. Chesterton Society: This reading group meets once a month to discuss Chesterton’s plays, poems, novels, essays, and criticism. In good Chestertonian spirit, their meetings are full of laughter, appreciation, cheese, and cookies. They welcome anyone who wants to follow Chesterton in thinking, living, and loving with gusto and gratitude.

The Oak Tree Review: This is Spring Arbor’s literary journal. It publishes the creative works of students, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, scripts, and reviews. Students also serve as editors and oversee the publication process. In the fall, The Oak Tree Review sponsors a poetry reading where students and faculty share their latest work, and each spring there is a journal release party where students read from the latest issue.

The Pulse: Spring Arbor students can practice their free speech and show off their writing, editing and graphic design skills by joining The Pulse, Spring Arbor’s student-led news and opinion magazine, published monthly.

Tolkien Literary Club: This club’s main purpose is to enjoy, learn from, and gain a greater appreciation of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Meetings focus around reading books and other literature penned him. Regularly, reading is accompanied with insights about the passage and an increased knowledge of the context. Meetings are welcome to all, to both the seasoned Tolkien veterans and to those who have not yet been initiated.

Writing Center: The Writing Center exists to help members of the SAU community grow as writers. It offers space for students to learn in community by engaging in conversations about all aspects of writing and critical thinking. Many of the tutors who work here are English majors, and working with others’ writing is an excellent way to hone your own craft.

Action Jackson: A mentoring program that connects two college students with “at-risk” children from the Jackson area.

American Red Cross Club: This club will promote the SAU concept as the last part of our concept states that our community will provide “critical participation in the contemporary world.” As Christians we are called to serve and that is the mission behind the Red Cross. From actual blood donors to the volunteers setting up and recruiting donors, the idea is to serve people in this world. The beauty of this type of servanthood is that participants are helping someone who they don’t know and probably never will. It shows the good in people and provides hope to many families.

Interfaith Shelter: This ministry travels to the Jackson Interfaith Shelter twice a week. They meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays outside the President’s office at 6:15 p.m. and arrive back on campus by 8:45 p.m. At the shelter you will meet a wide variety of residents.

Project L.O.T.: Project L.O.T. exists to help SAU students to serve the Least of These (LOT) in Jackson, Michigan, through acts of service, discipleship and organizing to meet physical needs. Project L.O.T. has a handful of standalone programs such as Under The Lights where SAU students engage in street evangelism in downtown Jackson.

Relay for Life: After cancer hit home for SAU students when a beloved chaplain and a SAU student were diagnosed with the deadly disease, Spring Arbor students and staff banded together to organize a Relay for Life event on Spring Arbor’s athletic track. This event now takes place every spring.

Spring Break Mission Trips: For some students at Spring Arbor University, spring break is a lot more rewarding than relaxing. Each March, SAU sends about 100-200 students all over the nation to serve on missions trips. In past years, students have traveled to Mexico, Houston, Atlanta, Puerto Rico, Hamtramck, Texas, Kentucky, New York City, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Panama Beach, and the Navajo Nation.Wellspring: Two groups that consist of singers and instrumental musicians that travel to camps throughout the summer leading worship. The group is very service based (90% service, 10% music) and is highly selective. Auditions are required to be a part of Wellspring.

Swing Dancing: This group started as a club, but has developed into classes and still maintains the openness and fun of everyone being a student and a teacher. We also strive to maintain a Biblical basis while teaching a fun form of exercise. Mission Statement: Our goal is to provide Spring Arbor students and other college-aged students in the community with a healthy, Christ-centered alternative to clubs as a place to dance and socialize.

The Quidditch Club: This club’s aim is to have fun playing a muggle version of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter’s Quidditch. There are weekly scrimmages with lessons/briefing a half hour before each scrimmage. This is open to any SAU student who wishes to participate.

Intramural sports allow students to engage in physical fitness through sports without the formality of intercollegiate competition. This year, SAU is offering the following intramural leagues for men and women:

• Basketball
• Beach Volleyball
• Flag Football
• Floor Hockey
• Indoor Soccer
• Indoor Volleyball
• Outdoor Soccer
• Ultimate Frisbee