By Nate Kahn
Student run clubs on Whatcom’s campus connect members of the community together. From anime and anthropology to engineering and improv, students participate in extracurricular activities.
Mary Haberman is the advisor for the Whatcom Hiking Club and the instructor for the Hiking class. Haberman said she has combined her passion for the outdoors with her role as a Whatcom faculty member in order to bring students together outside of campus.
“I think it’s nice for students to have an opportunity to be doing something together, not just hanging out,” Haberman said.
The club typically meets for hikes three times a quarter. Haberman along with club mentors Paul Stroud and Monica Malcolm schedule the outdoor excursions. A popular destination for the hiking club is the Oyster Dome trail on Chuckanut Drive. The club recently hiked Oyster Dome on Saturday Oct. 29. The adventurers embark from Whatcom to the trail head. Then after the hike the group goes out for a meal.
“We usually go out for pizza afterwards, so that’s an added bonus that’s free and paid for by student life and clubs,” Haberman said.
For the mentors and students that attend the hikes, the journey can be a time for making friendships and connections.
“It’s nice for myself and the other people that mentor the club too, to just get to talk with students in a low key kind of way about their lives,” Haberman said.
Haberman said the club members consist of students from diverse ethnic backgrounds with a broad age range.
“A lot of international students come on the hikes,” Haberman said. “It’s a really cool way for them to interact with Whatcom students and vice versa.”
Haberman added that “For a lot of the international students, it’s an opportunity to get out and get up the mountains or out on hikes when they might not have good transportation or the experience to do so.”
Haberman said the gear needed for the expeditions is minimal. “You don’t need a lot to go hiking.”
While listing essentials, she included “some good shoes, but running shoes are usually fine. Some clothes that will keep you warm even if they get wet.”
Haberman recommends that students looking for the necessary clothing should shop at thrift outlets like GoodWill and Value Village.
Students can get involved in the hiking club by attending the events and engaging in the online community.
“They can come to the meetings, they can join the Facebook page, they can come on a hike.” said Haberman.
The club is working on arranging meetings every month and finding ways to bring students together.
“We’re going to try to have monthly meetings now, which we haven’t done in the past,” she added “People can even just hangout and talk about hiking, gear and places they’ve gone or show photos,” Haberman said.
Students who want to arrange hikes, club events and take charge of the activities can gain a coordination and experience by becoming more involved in the club.
Haberman explained that “If people want to join the club and take a leadership role there’s possibility for that.”
“We’re frequently in really beautiful places…we’re exercising together too and you have time to talk on the hikes,” Haberman said.
With the copious amounts of trails and hikes in the Bellingham area, this club provides an opportunity to try something new away from campus.
Every year, Sehman receives students who want to collaborate with incoming or returning student musicians that then make up the quarter’s musical ensemble.
“Every year features a completely different ensemble set up, as the students that make up this department are continuously changing,” says Sehman.
Sehman said that there are never enough brass playing students to make up a full brass band, or enough string students to make up a full orchestra, but the diversity results in a well-rounded ensemble that accepts anyone.
On Dec. 1 this group of student musicians will be performing a free show for all to attend in the Heiner Theater.
If a student is a practicing musician who has already missed chances to get involved this quarter, there are still opportunities.
There will be a lunchtime open mic on stage in the Syre Student Center at noon on Oct. 26 and again on Nov. 30.
