Each summer, incoming freshmen and transfer students go through START — Oregon State’s new student orientation, advising and registration program.

Besides registering for classes, students are also allowed to explore the campus a little more through various planned events before starting their first term. One of such events is the START Campus Resource Information Fair.

The fair takes place at the beginning of the second day of each START session in the MU Commons. There are about 45 organizations and resources around OSU represented here at the fair. The fair serves as a platform for the different groups to table and introduce themselves to the new students, as well as make them feel welcome. Students are able to discover their options in what they can be involved in and useful resources they can take advantage of.

On average, there are about 300 students along with parents that attend this event.

“Today has been really exciting. There’s a lot of clubs,” said incoming freshman Corbin Streicher. “There’s so many different places to visit, I don’t know if I’ll have enough time for all of them.”

“We are just trying to get students aware about the free resources they have on campus,” said Lorena Ambriz of the Diversity and Cultural Engagement. “Specifically students of color and underrepresented students to know about what issues they have on campus. Since this is predominantly a white school, (we are) just trying to get them engaged and let them know that there is a space for them as well.”

The Campus Resource Information Fair is not just fun for the attendees, but for those tabling as well. ASOSU President, Rachel Grisham, and MUPC Director, Curtis Orona, whose booths are side by side, said they made the event a little competition among themselves.

“We’ll throw shade at each other, and I think it gets students excited thinking like ‘oh there’s all these great organizations that kind of like have this camaraderie and just want students to get involved’,” said Grisham.

When asked who has been winning the competition so far, Orona immediately said, “Definitely MUPC.” to Grisham’s disagreement.