Beyond the Classroom: Club Leadership at Oxford

Fiona Kuo 26Ox • June 12, 2026

One of the special opportunities that students experience at Oxford is the chance to lead student organizations in their first and second years of college.

I joined three executive boards during my first year and eventually served as co-president of one during my second semester. Though I would never claim to know everything about club leadership, I wanted to share some things I have learned about leading clubs specifically at Oxford for our rising and potential club leaders.

Club Recruitment

Though this varies by club, you will likely be recruiting new members for both your executive board and your general body. An important thing to consider is how you want your club to be structured in terms of distinguishing executive board members and general body members, which should be outlined in your club constitution. Ideally, executive board members should have greater responsibility and commitment to your club than general body members, as they should be leading and advancing your club’s mission. At Oxford, every student organization is required to have a president, treasurer, and faculty/staff advisor, as well as 10 members to maintain an active charter. However, most executive boards also include other roles, depending on your club’s needs. Here is a brief list of recommended executive board positions:

President*	Presidents oversee club procedures and ensure clubs adhere to student organization policies.
Vice President	Vice Presidents can assist Presidents in upholding club procedures, especially when Presidents plan on graduating early or studying abroad. They can also oversee other roles.
Treasurer*	Treasurers submit budgets and obtain supplies for club events.
Public Relations (PR)	PRs can help with club advertising by creating promotional material for events and club information. This can look like maintaining your club’s Instagram and posting announcements on GroupMe.
Event Coordinator	Event Coordinators can help ideate and plan events that align with a club’s mission, which includes booking event spaces and setting up for events.

You should meet with the rest of your continuing executive board from last year early in the school year to discuss the recruitment process and club goals. Here are some things to consider:

What gaps remain in your executive board?
Who from your executive board is graduating early/studying abroad?
How many executive board members will you be looking for? Will positions be open to both first- and second-years?
What role will executive board members play versus general body members? How will you ensure your general body is engaged?
What will be the dynamic between existing and new executive board members? For example, would you like a “mentorship” system between existing and incoming executive board members?
What will your application look like? What is the timeline for applications?
Are you hosting interviews (highly encouraged)? If so, will you be conducting selective interviews? When will interviews be, and how will they be structured?
- Note: I recommend finishing applications and interviews one to two weeks after the Involvement Fair to get started with event planning for the rest of the semester.
What is/will everyone be responsible for? What will communication look like? How often will you meet, and when will you meet?
What do you hope to achieve this semester/school year? What areas do you want to improve upon from last year, or what do you want to maintain?
- Additional Questions to Consider: How can you use Oxford’s resources to expand your club’s initiatives? Can you collaborate with other clubs?
What will the events look like, and how many will you have? Does your club have a larger event that requires more planning time?
- Note: Student organizations are required to host a general body meeting once a month.

Following the President’s Institute (see “Event Planning” for more information), you will have the opportunity to gather interest for your club at the Involvement Fair. This upcoming year, the Involvement Fair will be on September 3rd, 2026. Make sure to prepare a tri-fold with updated information about your club’s mission and how to get involved. This may include printing updated QR codes, refreshing photos, and revising promotional materials. Many clubs post their recruitment timelines and processes on GroupMe and on individual Instagram accounts. (See “Event Planning” for more information.)

Tip: tag @emoryoxford to get your club’s advertisements reposted on our Instagram story!

Some clubs host information meetings at the beginning of the school year to introduce their club and meet potential members. This is a good way to build interest in your club before academics and other extracurriculars ramp up.

When choosing executive board members, it is important to consider fit and availability. What commitments will your potential executive board members have? Will they be able to actively contribute to your club as an executive board member? What experience do they have? How will your potential executive board members contribute and engage with your club’s group dynamic?

After selecting your executive board and general body members, you should meet with your executive board regularly. I recommend meeting (almost) weekly, especially given event planning timelines, to ensure they are met. For your first meeting, make sure to establish expectations and communication channels, and set the tone for the board! I have asked my executive board members to introduce themselves and do some sort of icebreaker, even if it is just answering a silly question, such as their favorite dining hall dessert. Depending on your club's goals, you may want to begin with event planning or introduce new executive board members to the resources and procedures they will use throughout the year.

Especially for larger boards, having experienced members serve as “chairs” or “heads” of the different primary roles on your executive board and having new members, especially first-years, be “junior” members may be helpful. “Junior” executive board members can learn how to fulfill these primary roles while having the space to learn from more experienced members. For instance, junior event coordinators can practice planning smaller events, while head event coordinators can oversee larger events and check in on such smaller events. Thinking about who will take over the club in the future, this is also a good way to evaluate the potential of first-year executive board members to serve in a more complex role, such as President, and to clearly define everyone’s responsibilities.

Event Planning

Prior to the Involvement Fair, you will attend the President’s Institute, which is a training session mandatory for club treasurers and presidents. At the President’s Institute, you will learn about event planning logistics and platforms, including the budget submission system and location booking system. This information should help you plan a timeline for the club's semester events and communicate it to your executive board. You will also be informed of club expectations to maintain an active charter. An important part of the President’s Institute is also getting P-Card certified, which is a card shared among clubs at Oxford to purchase event supplies in person.

Though exact due dates for materials needed to execute an event may vary depending on the scale of your event and evolving institutional regulations, here is a general event-planning template you can adapt to your needs. You can find sample event plans at the bottom of the document. Below is also a brief checklist of things to help you prepare for a successful event!

Event title
Date, time, and location (with rain plan if needed)
Type of event (general body meeting, collaborative event, community service, etc.)
Materials needed (with prices and links)*
Event procedures and executive board responsibilities
Budget submission timeline*
PR (advertising) timeline

I highly recommend maintaining a Google Drive or OneDrive folder to track and store club information. That way, you can see how progress is looking and make sure everyone is on the same page. This folder can include a copy of your club constitution, club log-ins and resources, and folders for each role.

Here is an overview of key event resources and systems you will use for event planning. More information will be provided at the President’s Institute.

25Live	25Live is the system you will use to book event spaces. Ensure that you are searching for spaces on Oxford’s campus, as this system is also used by the Atlanta campus. While more instructions will be provided at the President’s Institute, I recommend ensuring you have general event details prepared so you can efficiently book your desired location. You will need details such as event time, location, and title, as well as the equipment and assistance you will need. This includes any AV requests and furniture requests. For club events, you must submit your booking four weeks prior to your desired event date. This allows for the events and conferences staff to work through your request and address any concerns or conflicts. After submitting a request, your event will be in “draft” state until it is marked “confirmed” by the Events and Conferences staff. Make sure to check your email in case they reach out with inquiries about your event! You will receive a PDF confirmation for your event, which is needed to submit your event budget.
The Hub - Club Page	You will post your confirmed event on your club page on The Hub, which you should be able to manage. You will also ensure that the page is updated with your club’s executive board members. You will also update your event attendance on the Hub by clicking into the event. There are several ways to take attendance, including typing people’s names, checking in with a QR code, and scanning IDs, which you will need to check out a scanner for at the Oxford Student Center. To confirm access to a scanner for larger events, make sure to email oxfordclubs@emory.edu.
The Hub - Budget and Online Order Forms	To purchase items for an event, you will need to submit a budget on the Hub, which requires you to add an event link from the Hub, a PDF confirmation of your 25Live booking, and a copy of the standard budget template filled out with your specific requests. These are reviewed by the Student Government Association’s Budget Committee once a week, and must be submitted at least 10 days before an event date. The Budget Committee can either deny, partially approve, or fully approve your budget depending on the circumstances. More rules regarding budgets that may determine if your budget is approved or not will be discussed at the President’s Institute. Once your budget gets approved, if you have any online orders, you can submit an online order form on the Hub. You CANNOT use a P-Card for online purchases, so these must be submitted in a timely manner for your items to arrive on time. Online purchases are monitored and ordered by the Center for Student Leadership and Engagement (CSLE). You must attach an approved budget to this form. See “special circumstances” for information on larger budget timelines.
P-Card	This is a physical card shared among clubs at Oxford to purchase event supplies in person at local stores. You will have a maximum of 40 minutes with this card unless otherwise requested and approved. This is to ensure other clubs that need the card can use it for their event. Your budget must be approved and you must be P-Card certified to check out this card. You can check this out at the OSC front desk.
The Hub - Club Printing	To print advertisements or other material for your events, you can submit a printing request form monitored by the CSLE on the Hub. You should submit the form two days before the date you need the material by. Therefore, for posters, I would recommend submitting the form at least a week prior to the event so you have time to put up flyers around campus. Note that flyers should only be posted in approved locations, or they will be taken down. There is also a limit on the number of prints you can request. More information is provided on the form.
EagleSign and EaglePost	EagleSigns are the slides presented on the TV screens throughout buildings such as residence halls and the student center on campus. You can submit a slide advertisement to enhance your events’ advertising efforts to reduce paper use. EaglePost is the newsletter sent to students every morning. While you cannot request to share an advertisement yourself, you can ask your faculty/staff advisor to do so for your event.
Canvas	A Canvas page for those who attended the President’s Institute will contain information reviewed at the President’s Institute and provide extra materials for you to refer to. For instance, there will be a Fire Safety module that you will need to complete to host an event in Murdy Kitchen.
Instagram and GroupMe	Instagram and GroupMe will be essential in advertising your club events. Many clubs already have an Instagram, but if you do not have one already, create one ASAP! My recommended advertising strategy for your events is a cycle of a main flyer that can be printed, distributed on GroupMe, and posted on Instagram, an engaging Instagram reel (or more!), additional event information or context if needed, and a recap post. You can also post stories during your event for people to refer back and/or view to get a sense of what your events are like so they may want to attend a future event. Additionally, you should tag @emoryoxford on all of your posts and reels posted on Instagram because they will be reposted on our story, allowing for more reach. GroupMe announcements for your events should happen periodically as well. This will be better for targeting a wider audience in the case people don’t follow your club’s Instagram. I recommend posting an announcement at least a week prior to your event, sometime in the middle between that and your event, a few hours before your event and a final reminder shortly beforehand. There is typically a “Club Events” subtopic in the class GroupMes created by the Peer Advising Network members, which is the main place where your announcements should be posted.

Special Events

Larger events with larger budgets (>$1000) may require you to present your budget request at an SGA meeting, where members in attendance will vote on whether to approve or deny your request. You will have a chance to present your requests, and SGA can ask you clarifying questions before moving to a vote.
Outside vendors must be approved before you can request their services, a process that takes time and requires preparation at least 4 months prior to an event. However, Oxford has an existing list of approved vendors that you can reference to reduce preparation time, but you should also keep in mind that vendors have their own required request timelines.
Collaborative events between your club and other clubs on campus are encouraged! They truly help foster community and increase event attendance. When thinking about collaborative events, consider what kind of collaborative event you envision. Will your club be the main organizer? Or will you be sharing the event planning process with another club? These differences determine how you approach your event planning timeline and outreach. Here are two example communication timelines and procedures:

Main Organizer	Co-Host
Determine what clubs you are inviting and what you are requesting from them You will be in charge of primary event logistics, including event booking and communicating event procedures to participating clubs I recommend sending initial invitation emails at least one month prior to the event. This allows other clubs to discuss if they want to participate and what they will be bringing to your event. This also allows ample time for clubs to submit budgets and coordinate supplies. After confirming which clubs plan on participating in your event, I recommend creating an email chain to maintain a central line of communication. I also recommend creating a GroupMe for easier outreach. In your communications, ensure clubs understand what and how they need to prepare for your event (including deadlines such as budget submissions), where clubs will be during the event, when to check-in, etc. They should also understand the nature of the event, including what is happening other than what their club is bringing to the event. Additionally, I recommend keeping track of what other clubs plan on bringing to your event and how they are doing in terms of budget submission and material acquisition. Some clubs may also need additional supplies such as an extra table, which you may need to communicate to adjust for your 25Live booking. This is especially helpful for events where participating clubs are essential to the event. Here is a general template: Multi-Club Event Organizer	Determine all tasks needed to produce events and distribute them between participating clubs. This includes PR, shifts, budgets, event booking, etc. You will likely still be in charge of entire event timeline, but your executive board members tasked with responsibilities for this event can focus on ensuring your club’s side of the event is completed Sample project planning document: Wok x ACC x TASA February GBM - Boba Bar w/ ACC and Wok Boba

Club Culture

Club dynamics are always changing, given the fast turnover in club leadership at Oxford. As a club leader, it is important to set the tone for your club (internally) and maintain its presence on campus, which is where your event planning and advertising efforts come in.

External

Through club events, advertising efforts, and even outreach positioning, it is your responsibility to ensure that they positively reflect your club’s mission and culture. A strong reputation helps maintain attendance, supports future funding opportunities, and allows future leaders to inherit a positive and respected organization. This makes maintaining respectful relationships with other clubs and staff members a critical responsibility.

Internal

It is difficult to balance club productivity and executive board member dynamics. While I haven’t been the most successful in this aspect, I can attest that it is enjoyable for everyone when there is a good balance of work and play among executive board members, which should be a responsibility shared by everyone. My (likely slightly unpopular) belief is that the amount of work and effort you put in should be matched with the same amount of fun–at least with an executive board, since it is your responsibility as a leader to maintain your club.

Final Reflection

Though it was challenging at times, serving as a club leader was very rewarding. I learned so much about my strengths and weaknesses as a leader, which allowed me to gain confidence in myself while identifying what I need to work on. For instance, I am someone who takes things a little too seriously, so I was very ambitious with my clubs, which may have been too much, as at the end of the day, they are ultimately, extracurricular organizations meant to be enjoyable as well as meaningful. However, planning and hosting large, collaborative events such as the Night Market with the Taiwanese American Student Association and OxFest with Music for Change have been incredible experiences. I am especially thankful to have been able to enhance the “change” part of Music for Change, in particular by strengthening connections with the wider Oxford community, none of which would be possible without our incredible executive board (shoutout MFC exec!!).

For incoming/future club leaders, I advise you to have confidence in yourself, trust your gut, and enjoy! Something I wish I had internalized more was that I can only do so much, so doing my best is all I can really do amidst circumstances I can’t control.

You can also reach out to your faculty/staff advisor for any information and advice on how to proceed with club events, executive board meetings, and general activities.

Good luck and believe in yourself! -Fiona Kuo 26Ox