For several years, the existence and composition of the IUS English Club varied depending on the semester. At times it had multiple members and other times it had none.

This semester, two students set out to change that.

English Club President Mackenzi Petri and Vice-President Marissa Ellis were the ones who decided to make the club continuous for years to come.

“Mackenzie Petri came to me and asked if I would help her build the club back up again,” Ellis said. “I told her I would and since last fall we have worked very hard on trying to make a name for ourselves as members and leaders of the English Club.”

The club’s Media Representative Stephanie Shunnarah said she had a class with Ellis in the fall of 2018 when she announced the reinstatement of the club.

“I was beyond excited for the English Club to be making a comeback and made sure I was there for the very first meeting of the fall 2018 semester,” Shunnarah said. “It’s the hope of myself and all officers of the club that we continue to build upon the foundation we laid out and that the English Club will continue to grow long after we graduate.”

Variety of Responsibilities

Each position in the club has different responsibilities. As Vice President, Ellis is a key leader for the organization and helps run the club in an orderly fashion.

“As far as responsibilities, I am to be a voice for the club and make sure events or meetings are conducted,” Ellis said.

As Media Representative, Shunnarah’s responsibilities include maintaining the club’s social media profiles, keeping the members of the club informed of any events and meetings that will be held, handling any online correspondence and advertising.

Purpose and Activities

Ellis said the purpose of the English Club is providing the school and community with opportunities to learn about literature. The club hosts book talks, book sales, meetings, open mics and other fun events, such as a Halloween costume party.

Earlier this semester, the English Club hosted a “Free Pencils, Free Homework Help” event on August 29, a week before their first official meeting on September 3.

“We also have a strong passion for helping others with their English classes and giving a warm place where students of all majors can feel accepted,” Ellis said.

Students interested in joining the English Club can contact Ellis or Shunnarah on Grenadier Central, or visit them during office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:30.

Shunnarah said the core goal of the club is to bring attention to English in any form possible, as well as being a support system and having resources that students would find useful while taking English courses at IU Southeast.

“We all know what it’s like to be overwhelmed during the semester, so we also wanted to have the ability to reach out and create fun events and help fellow students take some time to have a break from their routine.”