Clubs across the COS campus have several new members after this year’s spring club rush at the quad. Many club representatives and volunteers came out to showcase their clubs. There was music, games, and tasty food for everyone who showed up.

Club rush is always an exciting time on campus, and it is wonderful to see so many students getting involved in activities they are passionate about. It is a great way to learn new skills and develop new interests.

I interviewed Julian Al-rafiq who is the Vice President of the A2MEND/ B-STARS club here at COS. He is a Biomedical Engineer major and has been in A2MEND for a year. He joined in January 2023 because he wanted to find a club that represents someone who looks like him. He is looking forward to scholarships and one thing he loves about the A2MEND club is the energy students bring.

I asked Julian what the club is about and he stated, “ A2MEND is about bettering ourselves and celebrating our beautiful culture. It’s about learning and understanding where we as black people, come from and how we had to persevere. We talk about mental health and why it’s important. We talk about why we need to go to college and do good in life. We take care of our members and are welcome to have everyone who wants to join. Our club meets once a month on Wednesdays.”

A2MEND which stands for ( African American Male Education Network and Development) encourages members to further their education and dedicate their time to work and school. Curtis Allen, the club advisor, goes out of his way to fund and provide for his club. He makes sure everyone is on top of their game and well taken care of.

During the school year, they take trips to HBCUs. In October 2023, they flew to Howard University which is located in Washington D.C.. They stayed for a week and explored and learned about the history of Howard University. Not only do they go to universities, they go to conferences in Los Angeles as well.

Last year in December 2022, they held an event for Tulare and King’s County high schools. The club had breakfast and lunch and they had a guest speaker who spread motivation, wisdom, and advice to those who attended. The events are to inspire and encourage high school students to not only further their education but to also join the A2MEND program here at COS. Many claimed that they had a fun time at the event and are looking forward to attending the program at COS in the fall.

Club rush will also be held in the fall in case you missed it this semester.
For more information on all the clubs COS has to offer, visit https://www.cos.edu/en-us/student-life/activities-and-affairs/clubs-organizations