left : Amir Ayan, secretary of SEEK Society, right: JJ, Vice president of SEEK Society
By Othea Borsha
The SEEK program at York College, known for its academic and financial support for students from underserved backgrounds, is seeing a new wave of student leadership with the revival of its student club, the SEEK Society, a once-active student club at York College that is being revived.
Dienaba Diatta, also known as JJ, is a sophomore and the prospective Vice President of SEEK Society, shared an inside look at the process of getting this club reinstated. “The president [Ketliana Laplante] and I joined SEEK Society our freshmen year as members, and we would hear the staff talk about how active it used to be when they attended York,” she said. “Our goal is to bring back that livelihood SEEK Society had and bring back more campus engagement.”
Before COVID-19, the club was well-known and in full-action. However, the pandemic halted activities and disrupted many student resources and organizations. When asked about the past challenges that kept this club dormant, JJ replied, “I’m not 100 percent sure why SEEK Society lost popularity, but I believe COVID is why the club lost popularity and eventually lost its active status.”
Michael Valero, a SEEK senior and the past president who tried to restart the club last year said the problems were complex. “There were a myriad of challenges present in attempting to reopen the club, whether it be personal challenges or finding enough students who were interested,” said Valero.
Even now the process hasn’t been a walk in the park. Filling executive board positions was a significant challenge. “We’re struggling on doing the basics, for example, finding a secretary and treasurer was our main and hardest focus,” JJ said.
Despite those difficulties, support from peers has been crucial. “Michael has been very helpful,” JJ said. “He’s given us so much information about starting this club and giving us the bylaws and so much more.”
For students who are thinking about starting their own clubs, JJ had a few words of advice. “Be very organized and pick who you want to be in your club wisely,” she said. “We’re all still new to this, so that’s all I can think of.”
Valero, when asked about his own attempts, also emphasized the importance of community and peer support. “The biggest challenge is the discouragement faced when you feel alone in the process,” he said.
Despite the road bumps, optimism is a catalyst for SEEK Society’s revival. JJ said she is excited for the group’s first event, which she says will take place at the end of the fall semester.
“We obviously have to be active, but I’m ready for us to gain popularity and just bring us out there.”
In regard to the future of the club, JJ envisions that in three years, SEEK Society will be known for its legacy of keeping the SEEK spirit alive through events designed to further connect students with the SEEK program. “I hope that we will be able to find the new classes to take over when we do graduate and continue what we hope to create,” she said.
SEEK Society’s revival reflects the larger truth that student responsibility and passion is what keeps clubs alive. Persistent commitment is needed in the face of adversity and students must be ready to pivot as necessary. Clubs can fade away when resources or leadership are limited or scarce, but they can also be rebuilt when students take initiative. For the SEEK students and mentors, their effort in this process reflects their overall goal of building community and creating a space where students can have fun and feel supported. In JJ’s words, “We want to bring light to the SEEK program because the program definitely helps us in many ways, and we want to make others aware about the resources SEEK has.”
https://www.york.cuny.edu/seek
