The Commerce Times

Get involved

With the majority of students commuting to and from Ryerson, getting actively involved in school can be quite a challenge. With juggling the commute, jobs, a social life, attending class and studying, extra-curricular activities can sometimes be forgotten.

Ultimately, Ryerson’s commuter reputation has caused it to lag behind other schools in establishing a true university experience.

But that shouldn’t prevent students from getting involved in school, especially considering the benefits involved.

Given the current economic climate, and with undergrads competing with overqualified MBA’s and other experienced workers for the same jobs, extra-curricular activities can potentially give undergrads the advantage.

The main goal of attending a university is to obtain a degree and many students hope to attain the highest GPA possible. But Ryerson students highly involved in campus life swear that getting involved in school actually increases GPA.

Greg Murray, a recent graduate and former program manager of SIFE Ryerson, maintains that getting involved positively affected his GPA.

“This may be counterintuitive considering I was investing [so many hours] in extra curricular activities,” Murray said. “However, it fueled better organization, stronger discipline and more passion for my field of study, which led to higher marks.”

Abdul Snobar, former president and now current general manager of the Ryerson Commerce Society, expresses the same sentiments. “At the end of the day,” he said, “you learn how to work under pressure very well.”

Danielle Hrehirchek, president of the Ryerson Marketing Association agrees. “You start working harder. It really makes you feel connected to the school.”

“[When] you get to know your teachers it is embarrassing to get a bad grade,” Hrehirchek said.

It doesn’t necessarily mean having to be as ambitious as Murray, Snobar, or Hrehirchek, but finding an activity in your areas of study is a great way to start.

Snobar took advantage of these opportunities and saw his social network grow exponentially. “At the end of the day, I was able to mix in my social life with extra-curricular activities here,” he said.

Hrehirchek’s passion for marketing helped guide her to choose what to get involved in. “It didn’t matter what I did” she said. “As long as I was doing something involved with marketing.” But once she started, she realized her interest in what went on at Ryerson grew.

Murray is now the service and distribution manager for PepsiCo and is a firm believer that students need to leverage the benefits in getting involved: free conferences, internships, networking and leadership opportunities.

“These were all-inclusive of my tuition and I wanted to maximize the return-on-investment on my tuition,” he said. “If I’m paying for an all-inclusive cruise, I’m going to try to get my money’s worth by eating as much as possible.”

Murray was able to benefit by networking at a conference, where his internship with PepsiCo ultimately led to a lucrative position.

“Personally, I like to be busy. I like having a voice,” Hrehirchek added. “I actually had a say in what students are studying.”

She is also entertaining many job offers and recently made a lasting impression on Javier San Juan, CEO of L’oréal Canada, all thanks to networking through her involvement at school.

“The majority of the students getting scholarships are the ones that are heavily involved,” Snobar acknowledged.

Taking action ultimately lies within the individual, but with so much competition for so few jobs in today’s “new economy”, being complacent does not help.

“Ultimately, you have to push yourself,” Hrehirchek said. “Don’t be scared. Just do it. It will pay off, definitely.”

“At the end of the day it is our duty [as students] to really increase the value of your degree and the reputation of our university,” Snobar said. “Getting involved is the best thing you could do for your university experience.”

“The importance to differentiate yourself and bring more to the table than just a degree is critical,” Murray said. “Getting involved is no longer optional. It is expected.”