The Spanish Club is jumping over the publicity and interest obstacles that in recent years have slowed its growth and is looking for new ways to jump back into the organization race at ETSU.
In the past several years, students outside of the Foreign Language Department have had little opportunity to know what the Spanish Club was doing or that the club even existed, says Rachel Pelkey, Spanish Club president. Pelkey and adviser Dr. Sandra Palmer have a plan to change that.
“The Spanish club is open to everyone of every major,” Pelkey said. “The club offers cultural experience and fun.”
Experience and fun is often a big part of what most student organizations offer. So, what makes the Spanish Club different? “In a nation where the second largest spoken language is Spanish, the club is a good way to get exposed to the language and culture,” Palmer said. “The Hispanic community has grown quite large in this area and we want to be a part of it.”
Scheduling problems seem to have been a major setback in the past. Setting a meeting time when people can attend has been the biggest problem, Pelkey said. “Many students also don’t realize that you don’t have to be a Spanish major to join, so attendance is definitely one of the biggest goals.”
Jan. 28 marked the first spring semester meeting of the Spanish Club. The meeting was well attended. Pelkey, a 24-year-old Spanish major, used the meeting to establish goals for the semester and to open the floor to new ideas.
Some of the goals set during the meeting were practice times for using the Spanish language, a community service project, Spanish movie and dinner nights and fund-raisers for a trip to Puerto Rico. Palmer also added some goals of her own for the club.
“My goal is to make the club much more visible not just within the university, but also within the community,” she said. ” I want us to do more to educate and bring cultural activities to the area.”
Pelkey and Palmer are both excited about bringing the Spanish club back into the organization race.
“I am very happy,” Palmer said. “In 1998, we had a very large and recognized club that did many activities and it seems that we will have another similar club within this year.”
Meetings have been scheduled for Fridays at 1:45 in Rogers-Stout room 124. The next meeting will be Feb. 27.
For more information, call Pelkey at 477- 1946 or club adviser Dr. Sandra Palmer at 439-8343.

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