That’s Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, a club that I just brought to the Student Government Association and (after some stellar pitching) got approved and is now fully recognized by Colby.
The procedure was actually fairly painless. My friend Melanie and I had a talk over the summer, and what we identified as a real void in the Colby social scene is a science-y club, more specifically some place like minded individuals could talk about space. So we decided to do something about it.
I had first learned about SEDS through an article in Wired magazine and immediately decided that it was the coolest thing I had ever heard of – a club with the purpose of promoting space exploration and related education endeavors. So I went on the website, figured out how to start a chapter at my school, and got on it.
The first thing I had to do was fill out a preliminary application online for SGA to approve, which consisted of goals unique to our club, a mission statement, club officers (why hello there Mr. Co-Founder and Co-President, I would love to put you on my resume,) and basic reasons for the club’s presence on campus. Then I had to meet with Campus life, essentially just to explain the need for the club. Finally, my co-founder and I went in front of the SGA and sold it hard. Applause followed.
Unfortunately, since being approved, the club has seen little action and I’m sad to say that it is my fault entirely. SEDS has kind of been on the back-burner with the fellowship and JanPlan applications (trying to get blacksmithing for January – fingers crossed people) in addition to all my regular schoolwork. I have a meeting with the treasurer on Tuesday, though, so hopefully that will get things moving.
The main activities we at SEDS are trying to bring to campus are scheduled observation nights, viewings of documentaries like Cosmos, and hopefully even getting a NASA speaker to come up and tell Colby what’s good with space. I’ll keep you updated.
