Diagon Valley was one of about 150 student organizations that gathered on Jan. 17 for Grand Valley State University’s Campus Life Night 2.0. The event was brought to students by Laker Weekends and the Residence Housing Association.

Though the event was on a smaller scale in comparison to fall semester’s Campus Life Night, there was still a large turnout and the Kirkhof Center was packed with students interested in getting involved. The crowded atmosphere added to the excitement.

“Getting involved at Grand Valley is basically the way to milk it and to be able to get everything that you can out of the university and what it offers,” said Margie Munoz, a GVSU student.

Diagon Valley, the GVSU chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance, is an organization based around the Harry Potter fandom. It was designed to raise funds toward charitable causes. Last semester it held a food drive and donated the proceeds to the Women’s Center. It has several service opportunities planned for this semester.

Another charitable organization that was present was the Senior Citizen Club.

Kaitlyn Clair, the vice president of the club, shared her experiences with students about the rewarding possibilities that could come from joining the club.

“Every two weeks we visit senior citizens,” Clair said. “The goal is to brighten their day in any way possible.”

This semester, the group will be hosting a spring dance for senior citizens. The group had about 100 members during the fall semester and consisted of a variety of students representing a diverse selection of majors.

Other organizations who were present include the Future Alumni Association, Out ‘N’ About and the Humane Society. Greek Life was strongly represented as sororities and fraternities used the evening to recruit new members. Munoz, who is also the president of GVSU’s Panhellenic Council, said that in order to have a well-rounded education, it is important to become involved with extracurricular activities.

“Grand Valley does a great job at teaching leadership and teaching university involvement because people are usually involved in more than one organization,” Munoz said. “The people who are the biggest leaders are the most involved. I think that if you are not involved at Grand Valley then you are not getting the full education that it offers.”

Whether students were looking for a hobby or hoping to create a professional network, Campus Life Night 2.0 offered a wide range of opportunities. Students who were unable to attend Campus Life Night or those interested in more information can visit www.gvsu.edu/studentorg.

“I believe that it (getting involved) complements what you learn in the classroom,” Munoz said. “I think that it is crucial.”