Find Your Passion

UW offers countless ways to get involved on campus, helping you make friends, have fun and discover what drives you. 

Getting involved at the University of Wyoming comes with countless benefits, including increased satisfaction and retention. While it can be scary to try something new, taking the leap brings fun, friends and fulfillment. Along the way, you may discover lifelong hobbies or career interests. Here are a few of the options for getting involved on campus plus tips from current students.

• Start at the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (uwyo.edu/csil), where you can explore a multitude of options.

• 7220 Entertainment student committees work to bring amazing events to campus—from movies to live music and other entertainment.

• The Associated Students of UW is the university’s student government.

• UW is home to 15 fraternities and sororities.

• Multicultural Affairs offers resource centers, student circles and much more.

• The Service, Leadership and Community Engagement (SLCE) office provides leadership and service opportunities.

• Choose from 300 student organizations. There’s truly something for everyone—from swing dancing to horseback riding to clubs geared toward your area of study. Explore clubs at uwyo.campuslabs.com/engage.

• In addition to NCAA Division 1 sports, UW offers intramural and club sports. Whatever your skill level, you can have fun and play on a friendly or competitive team.

• Education Abroad offers over 400 programs in 80 countries, with ample scholarships available.

• In addition to UW’s Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center—with all the modern gym offerings, including a climbing wall, pools and classes—UW is also home to a robust Outdoor Program, where you can rent outdoor gear or sign up for outings.

Student Advice

“I was an executive for the 108th administration of Associated Students of UW, a SOAR mentor for the Honors College and the treasurer of Political Science Club. I am currently a Cowboy Coach, a Career Peer for the College of Business Student Success Center and the president of Economics Club. I have been able to feel like I have a community on campus and work with other student leaders to make a difference. I have been able to meet and work with some of the most amazing people! My advice is: Just try it! My first year I talked myself out of joining clubs and being involved because I thought it would be too much work, or I thought I wouldn’t like it. Once I finally got the courage to try out clubs, sports and other groups on campus, I was able to find the place I felt I belonged.” –CeeJay Berg, Rock Springs, Wyo., senior, accounting and economics, minors in honors and finance

“My involvements with Campus Ventures and Cowboy Country Swing Club have allowed me to find community within UW and friendships that I would not have pursued otherwise. The beauty of college is trying new things. Do not be afraid to participate in a club or attend those meetings—step out of that comfort zone.” –Ciara Thompson, Sterling, Colo., junior, social work with minors in disabilities studies and psychology

“I have met some amazing people around campus that I never would have been able to meet had it not been for being a resident assistant and a Cowboy Coach. I have been able to connect with my peers from all different walks of life to complete common goals, and it’s truly been a blessing. The easiest way to keep yourself out of trouble and find the things you really love is to literally try everything. The more you branch out and get yourself out there, the more likely you are to fall in love with something new. You never know what you could end up finding.” –Erin McDonald, Colorado Springs, Colo., junior, chemistry

“I was both a member and now an officer for Swim Club on campus. It was a good way to escape schoolwork and do some other activity. Get involved! Sign up for a lot of different things and attend those things at least once. Sure, you may not like them all, but it’s a good way to meet new people at the very least.” –Alec Wallen, Round Rock, Texas, senior, dual major in geology and environmental system science, certificate in GIS

“I have held multiple leadership positions with Tri Delta sorority and gotten involved with the fraternity and sorority life community. I have learned more about personal and professional development as well as made some of my closest friends. I would advise students to try EVERYTHING! If something is even slightly interesting, go check it out. Whether it’s a club, downtown activity or event hosted by UW, you never know when something will become a passion, so take advantage of all the opportunities.” –Abigail Klenk, Loveland, Colo., senior, social studies secondary education and history with an ESL endorsement

“My involvements on campus include Wellness Ambassadors, various pharmacy organizations, Cowboy Coaching, 7220, activity and game nights at the union, the Big Event, swing dancing and Zumba classes on campus! I have made a lot of friends and learned to have fun while also pursuing my dream. I was able to help others, and I found more people I can interact with. If you don’t already know what you want to do, don’t worry. Take your time, try a variety of things until you find what sparks your interest, and please DO NOT be afraid to change your major. It is not a bad thing!” –Emily Powell, Windsor, Colo., graduate student, pharmacy

“I made connections with students through Cowboy Coaching and gained professional experience, additional connections and great opportunities for growth through theater and dance. Don’t rush through college or do things just because everyone else is doing them. I’m a nontraditional and transfer student. I earned my associate degree, worked for a few years and then came back for my bachelor’s degree. It’s presented its own unique challenges, but I know it was the right path for me because I’m so much happier now. Each person and degree is different, so allow yourself the space to question and explore what you want to do—it’s totally normal.” –Emilygrace Piel, Cheyenne, Wyo., senior, theatre and dance design tech management, focus in stage management

“I used to run events for the Esports Club, and now I work as a Cowboy Coach. The No. 1 thing I’ve gotten out of these involvements is the ability to connect with other students. As a computer science major, I know how isolating engineering-based majors can feel. It’s extremely important to me to change this narrative and help bring together students with similar interests and passions as me. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to meet some great friends and talented students through these involvements! Making a difference in the communities you care about is the best way to give back to them. Whether it be something as simple as asking your resident assistant what events are going on this week or as nerve-wracking as asking a professor if they’d be interested in having you for an internship, taking the initiative to ask for opportunities rather than to wait for them to be offered is the best way to really get engaged with campus and Laramie. And, of course, don’t be scared to take a risk!” –Lona van der Linden, San Diego, Calif., sophomore, computer science

“I helped found the Swim Club and am now the co-president of it. I also studied abroad in Australia and absolutely loved it. These involvements really helped me make connections on campus. I made friends with people I never would have met before, and it helped me branch out. Getting involved can be a really intimidating thing, especially if it’s a new activity for you. However, once you go for the first time, you will see that everyone is so welcoming. Being able to find a group of people who share similar interests and who you feel comfortable around is so important to your well-being.” –Maddy Jenkins, Jackson, Wyo., senior, kinesiology 

Laramie and Beyond

Surrounded by national forest and recreation areas, Laramie is home to every type of outdoor activity you can imagine—climbing, hiking, mountain biking, camping, fishing, skiing and snowboarding and more. You can rent outdoor equipment at UW’s Outdoor Program. In addition, Laramie is home to nearly 100 restaurants, shopping, two movie theaters, a bowling alley and live entertainment. Cultural and artistic offerings include theater, dance and visiting acts on campus (www.uwyo.edu/finearts). There’s also a plethora of live entertainment locally. Or visit the UW Art Museum, UW Geological Museum, American Heritage Center, UW Planetarium, Laramie Plains Museum or the Wyoming Territorial Prison. In addition, larger cities are nearby, with Cheyenne and Fort Collins both about an hour’s drive and Denver only two hours away.