Students don’t have to wait until the pandemic ends to seek out involvement opportunities. The UNM Student Activities Center (SAC) has created a Discord server for students to connect with other Lobos.

SAC Advisor Andrea Marquez encourages students to join to avoid “Zoom fatigue” and connect with other students in a safe way. The Discord is also used for game night events using voice chat. It is a great way to meet people, learn about student organizations, student government and Greek life.

“We have adapted some of those programs and created new ones to help students connect virtually because it’s not safe or responsible to gather in big groups,” said Marquez.

So far, over 100 students have joined the Discord. It includes a mix of current student leaders and new students.

Coming up, SAC is hosting several events:

  • Two movie steaming events happening this week for Halloween:
    • Nightmare Before Christmas | Oct. 29, all day - http://movies.unm.edu
    • 10 Cloverfield Lane on | Oct. 30, 
  •  ASUNM Southwest Film Center will host 10 Cloverfield Lane trivia | Oct. 30, 7 p.m. - http://swfc.unm.edu 
  • Spooky Pinch Pots with the ASUNM Arts and Crafts Studio | Oct. 29, 6 p.m. 
  • SAC Game Night on the Discord Server | Nov. 5, 6 p.m.
  • Craft Night: DIY Felt Succulents, students will be able to pick up complete felt kits | Nov. 12, 6 p.m. on 

Past SAC events include a virtual escape room, mentalist, comedian, beatboxer, poets, Jackbox game nights, Among Us game night, Drag Queen Bingo, scavenger hunt, Homecoming royalty coronation, Fall Frenzy, and rivalry week. Over 100 screens attended Drag Queen Bingo, which was the SAC’s most-attended event.

“I do think some of the virtual performers we had were unique! Students coming to an event like that on campus wouldn’t often have such an up close experience with a performer in a larger live setting. Smaller groups over Zoom allowed our performers to ask the audience members questions, and for them to feel more a part of a performance,” said Marquez.

UNM Campus has over 270 student organizations that rechartered and are active this fall. Fraternities and sororities have gone through a full recruitment cycle with new members this fall as well.