The UTRGV clubs experience

Clubs at UTRGV are another way to have the college experience, with a wide variety, there’s a club for everyone to join.

Vaqueros clubs, overseen by the Center for Student Involvement (CSI), are every club, student organization or fraternity that is part of UTRGV. 

According to Berta Maldonado, assistant director of CSI, there are over 300 clubs throughout all UTRGV campuses.

“Within the past, I’d say 14 months, we helped establish 100 new clubs here on [Edinburg] campus,” Maldonado said. 

She added Brownsville is now up to 60 clubs, with organizations being established in Laredo and South Padre Island. 

 “Our primary goal and mission within CSI is to help students find their place, find their belonging,” Maldonado said. “Whether that’s joining a club, starting a club, joining greek life or attending one of our many events we have and […] trying to help them find a place away from academics.”

Joining a club

There are multiple ways to become involved with clubs on campus, such as the “Campus Takeover” events, going to the V-Link website and going to the CSI office. 

Daniela Garcia, a biomedical science and psychology senior and president of the RGV German Club, said she joined the club during her first year of college after she attended one of the events held by CSI.

The RGV German Club focuses on bringing German culture to UTRGV students, offering German lessons and study abroad options every year. 

Garcia said being part of the German Club has changed her in “really big ways” after studying abroad for the first time in Germany, teaching her independence, confidence and “managing things on her own.”

“When I look around and I feel like, well, like what friends have I made throughout my time at UTRGV, they really all come from the German Club,” Garcia said. “We’re all like a very tight-knit community.”

With a similar experience, Gabriela Padilla, a studio art senior and president of the Sculpture Club, said she joined the club after seeing them around on campus and getting interested in it. 

“I just thought it was really fun and interesting,” Padilla said. “I really liked the atmosphere that they had and that’s why I joined the club.”

She added she started as a member in 2024 before eventually becoming the president.

Padilla said the best part about being in the Sculpture Club is, “sharing the club with the community and being part of the community, being very local and expanding to other artists and talking to them and seeing what we can do to help as a club.”

She wants to advise students saying it’s okay to be shy or scared to join a club. 

“You can always come by and check out the club when we have our meetings if you want to just have a little trial and see, if you like the club you can stay or if you don’t feel like it’s a good fit for you it’s okay to leave the club,” Padilla said.

Starting a club

If you are not able to find a club of your interest, you can always start your own. 

“The most important thing is it’s all student-led,” Maldonado said.

She said starting a club is a three-step process. 

Step one is orientation with CSI, second “the document part” which includes finding five students that are enrolled at UTRGV and a faculty or staff advisor, the third step is doing a “constitution checklist” and once everything is submitted and verified, their V-Link page is created.

“Any student can create [a club.] It’s just a matter of finding other students who are interested in starting that club with you,” Maldonado said.

Whether it is starting a club or joining one, Daniela Garcia advises students to “just show up.” 

“It is scary at first, but like, just show up, […]  all the people who have a club […] want you to be there. Everybody feels the same way, not like anybody’s sure about it and you can always bring a friend.”

Maldonado said she thinks being part of a club throughout your college journey is “very important.”

“I really do think it enhances your college experience and it makes it feel less overwhelming and less lonely, […] and you end up finding some really cool people that end up becoming lifelong friends,” she said. “And for those that are maybe not finding [a club they like] I encourage them to come find me here at [the CSI] office to start a club because we want to make sure there’s something available for everyone out there.”