Aanji Sin ’24
Editor-in-Chief
Chances are, when you were accepted to Scripps in the spring, you did what any future-paranoid, self respecting college student would do, and entered an internet deep dive into everything Scripps campus and culture. And chances are, in your search, in addition to your discovery of things like olives and Motleys and SASs, you also unearthed the existence of the most unwieldy sounding acronyms known to man: CLORGs.
CLORGs, short for clubs and organizations, are a major part of Scripps campus life. Subjects of interest range from student government to psychology societies to cheese; there’s a community for everyone, and even if there isn’t, you can start a CLORG of your own! But before September rolls around, beat the traffic at the CLORG Fair and get a look into which clubs are up your alley, or get an idea of which clubs Scripps might be missing.
For those interested in campus sustainability, the Scripps Student Garden (@scrippsstudentgarden) is a popular way students have engaged in renewable efforts while getting their hands a little dirty. The Student Garden maintains the space in the Browning courtyard that features seasonal fruit trees, planting beds, student murals, and study areas, as well as the herb garden in front of Browning-Dorsey. Members of the Student Garden practice planting, composting, weeding, and host events for the greater campus using resources from the garden.
The Scripps Student Garden attracts a large portion of the student body, vested in the interest of sustainable and eco-friendly efforts.
“The garden [is a great] meeting place for people with a shared interest,” said garden coordinator Erica Matthisen ’25. “It fosters connections you may otherwise not make, between upperclassmen and lowerclassmen and across fields of study.”
Outside of interest groups, there are also a plethora of identity and culture based CLORGs that connect students by race, gender and sexuality, or religious identification. The Asian American Sponsor Program (AASP) is one such CLORG that seeks and succeeds at creating an Asian American-inclusive community within a predominately white institution. AASP (@kickaasp) is a student-run mentorship organization that provides resources to first-years who identify under the greater term Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA). First years are split into mentor groups led by two sponsors, which meet weekly to engage students socially. AASP seeks to stand as a pillar of support for APIDA students, and create a supportive network that continues to foster important conversations about APIDA issues at Scripps and the 5Cs.
“The best part about being part of AASP is the bonds I’ve formed,” said AASP co-head Reema Iqbal ’24. “I’ve made so many close friends through AASP, I live with people I met in AASP, and I really feel integrated, accepted, and supported by a community on Scripps, which can be hard to find sometimes. Not only that, but AASP helped me grow a lot as a person and as a leader.”
While AASP has its own unique structure and mission centering APIDA students, other affinity groups at Scripps such as Watu Weusi (@watu.weusi), Family (@familyatscripps), Café Con Leche (@cafeconlechescr), and the Scripps International Community (@scripps.international) all exist with the unifying goal of creating safe and supportive spaces.
Although Scripps is no Big Ten university, students can also pursue athletic interest without the recruitment process — through the Casual Swim Club (@casualswimclub). As its name suggests, students who feel under-qualified to participate in school-sanctioned swim practice can gather to exercise through a low-commitment program. The Casual Swim Club aims to promote self confidence through swim, and can also act as both a mental and physical study break during the school year.
“We saw a community of former swimmers with no swim programs to participate in, feeling too slow or under qualified for varsity swim programs and feeling too “out of shape” to sign up for swim conditioning classes or just unable to find the pool schedule,” said Jenny McIntyre ’24. “We wanted to have a way to engage in a sport no matter your level. You don’t need to know how to swim to join, if you are interested in learning, we can teach you!”
These are only a few of the many student organizations Scripps touts, and a glimpse into what our community is involved in. For information on other CLORGs at Scripps, or to get connected with these featured clubs, visit the Scripps CLORG website.
Image Source: @kickaasp on Instagram
