By: Katherine Milazzo – 1st Year – Global Health
At Rollins, there are so many things to do outside of class. Our student organizations are great ways to engage in the community and get more involved in something you’re passionate about. Rollins has over 19 organizations dedicated to different health topics, communities, and institutions.
The fall of my first year I joined Students for Social Justice (S4SJ), an organization committed to making social justice a priority at Rollins and in the community. Through S4SJ, I have met an incredible leadership team, Rollins faculty members, and students across Emory that are committed to social change. We’ve had meetings on topics like using art as activism, communicating social justice issues in different communities, and on black maternal health, just to name a few. We’ve helped host events like film screenings and poster-making nights for Atlanta marches. We also have resources like a list of courses to take at Rollins that engage the theme of social justice, a list of representatives and how to get in touch with them, and a list of events and organizations to get involved with in the Atlanta area.
Joining a student organization has been incredible and I’ve been able to engage with other students on topics that I’m passionate about, including multiple aspects of social justice in health. All student organizations, including S4SJ, prioritize the needs of the Rollins community and are very receptive to incorporating suggestions or new ideas. Recently, S4SJ heard the need for self-care at Rollins and decided to dedicate a general body meeting to self-care in the midst of advocacy. We have a suggestions form we check at every meeting and have taken on new projects that students brought to our attention.
Student organizations often collaborate with each other and provide the opportunity to further establish relationships with your peers. S4SJ recently collaborated with the Association of Black Public Health Students (ABPHS), the Rollins Latinx Alianza (RLA), and the Health Organization for Latin America (HOLA) for an event on Black-Latinx identity and had a conversation on intersectionality. We have also had guest speakers from other organizations like the Emory Reproductive Health Association (ERHA) speak at our general body meetings, allowing for a greater range of topics to be covered through our organization.
Many students are involved in multiple student organizations, allowing them to participate in events and conversations in all of their interest areas. If Rollins doesn’t have enough courses on topics you’re interested in, you can join or start a club. Rollins students are also able to join centers and organizations across Emory, which is a great way to find out what’s happening across the university. The activities fair at orientation and email listservs are great ways to find out what the school has to offer.
Not sure what else to do at Rollins? Join a student organization and find out!
Rollins Student Ambassadors 