Getting Involved at the University of Scranton

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by admissions counselor Joe DiBenedetto in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

 

What’s Covered:

• Student Clubs
• On-Campus Events
• Off-Campus Events
• Sports
• Religious Activities
• Community Service
• The City of Scranton

 

 

In this post, we discuss ways to get involved at the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

 

Student Clubs

 

With more than 80 clubs and organizations on campus, it’s incredibly easy to get involved at the University of Scranton. A club fair is held during the first weekend of every semester, where students can learn more about the campus clubs and organizations that may interest them.

 

College is a place to express yourself and learn more about your interests, which is why the University of Scranton encourages students to not only join clubs and organizations but also start their own.

 

On-Campus Events

 

There are numerous on-campus events happening all the time. During the holiday season, there’s the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The student-run theater organization also performs a musical every semester. Dog Day, an event where therapy dogs are brought to campus, is incredibly popular with students. Other on-campus activities include movie nights, game nights, trivia, and performances by magicians, musicians, and comedians.

 

Off-Campus Events

 

The University of Scranton is definitely not a “suitcase school.” While some universities may see their students going home on the weekends, the University of Scranton Programming Board ensures that there’s always an interesting activity to take part in off-campus, such as traveling to Philadelphia to watch a Phillies game or to New York City to catch a Broadway show.

 

Sports

 

As an NCAA Division III school in the Landmark Conference, the University of Scranton offers 23 varsity sports. There are also several intramural and club sports teams to join, providing opportunities for experienced athletes and newcomers alike.

 

Religious Activities

 

The University of Scranton is a proud Jesuit and Catholic institution, with its own campus ministry department dedicated to helping students who wish to practice their faith. Nothing religious is forced upon Scranton students—or rejected—and the school welcomes people from all backgrounds, traditions, beliefs, and faiths.

 

There are two chapels located on campus, and the campus ministry facilitates more than 20 annual retreat programs at nearby Chapman Lake. The retreats have varying themes; in the past, there have been Disney retreats, hiking retreats, and even a silent retreat.

 

Community Service

 

The university’s Center for Service is available to help students get involved in community service. Scranton provides 170,000 hours of service per year in every corner of the world. Students looking to give back can get involved in different charity organizations across the city, state, country, or world. Domestic and international service trips are also starting again following a hiatus during the pandemic.

 

The City of Scranton

 

The University of Scranton provides a traditional college atmosphere, but just a few blocks away is the exciting city environment, giving students the best of both worlds.

 

Scranton is a small city, but it has everything that a student could want: a mall, art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, and more. Nay Aug Park, the largest park in Scranton, is just a five-minute walk from campus and features gorgeous scenery, such as running trails and waterfalls.

 

Montage Mountain, where students can ski, snowboard, and tube throughout the winter months, is 10 minutes away. Students can also root for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders baseball team or attend a concert at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain. In the other direction is Dixon City, another exciting destination that offers everything that students might need for work and play.