Organizations
These are all the official Student Organizations on campus.
Looking to start a student group?
Download the certification packet and contact the Vice President for Activities - VSAactivities@vassar.edu.
Want to schedule an event?
http://campusactivities.vassar.edu/student_event.html
You had better plan that event, too - contact your SARC intern.
Download the list to find your intern.
Need to schedule a room for a meeting?
http://scheduling.vassar.edu
Accidentals
Eric Gersen (ergersen)
The Accidentals is the first of Vassar’s two current all-male a-cappella groups, founded in 1980. It has rotating membership with new members auditioned as old members graduate. The Axies usually perform for dorm dinners, campus parties and Founder’s Day, as well as singing at other colleges and Alumni House. These travels usually include a spring-break trip somewhere southern like Florida. They also hold three major concerts a year: an a-cappella jam with all of the other groups on campus, a post-holiday concert with guest groups from other schools and a post-road trip concert with guest groups.
Act Out
Clare Ciervo (clciervo)
African Students Union
Mario ArthurBentil (maarthurbentil)
The African Students’ Union, formerly known as the Africa Club, came into existence as the Vassar Association of African Students in 1992 and was founded in an effort to stimulate an environment more sensitive to the particular academic, political, social, and psychological concerns of African students attending Vassar College. Membership is open to all matriculated students at Vassar College and all Africans not matriculated at Vassar to serve as a motivation for cultivation of all members on the social, academic and psychological fronts.
Aikido Club
Leon Pinheiro (lepinheiro)
Aikido is a Japanese martial art that emphasizes timing and balance breaking as the keys to successfully applying joint locks, throws and submission holds. Aikido focuses on redirecting the opponent’s energy and using it against them, rather than exerting force on the opponent and therefore does not depend on body strength.
Our instructor, Sean Masaki Flynn is a third degree black belt who has studied Aikido extensively. Practices are held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 8 pm to 11pm, attendance is not mandatory and the club is open to any members of the Vassar community.
AirCappella
Sadie Burzan (saburzan)
AirCappella is Vassar College’s premier all-whistling a cappella group. Since its conception in 2005, AirCappella has made its way into the spotlight of worldwide professional whistling, having represented Vassar at the 2007 International Whistlers Convention in Louisburg, North Carolina.
Amnesty International
Abby Raskin (abraskin), Eleanor Albert (elealbert)
Amnesty International is an independent, worldwide human rights organization that works to free all people detained for the non-violent exercise of belief, or for their race, sex, ethnicity, language, or religion. It strives toward fair and speedy trials for political prisoners and for an end to torture, political killings, and the death penalty. Their work is based upon the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all such international agreements. Amnesty condemns, terrorism, taking of hostages, or any killing or torturing of prisoners by armed opposition groups and takes action by writing letters and petitions, setting up informational tables, increasing awareness about international events pertaining to human rights, and sponsoring special events to coincide with days of particular import, such as Human Rights Week.
Asian Quilt
Pekham Pal (pepal)
AQ (formerly Asian Quilt) is an anthology featuring works highlighting a broad spectrum of commentary on the Asian American experience. AQ is dedicated to filling in the gaps we see in our communities. We pride ourselves on including submissions from the Vassar student body, students from other schools, alumnae/i and professional writers. Now in its tenth year, AQ is a nationally recognized and distributed as an undergraduate art and literary journal that draws contributors from all corners of the country. We have featured poems, short stories, essays, spoken word pieces, photographs, paintings and prints.
All are welcome to submit — we discriminate only on basis of talent! Please contact us at asianquilt@vassar.edu
Asian Student’s Alliance
Olivia Mak (chmak), Jenni Wong (jewong)
The primary goal of the Asian Student’s Alliance is for Asians and Asian-Americans to succeed and develop a strong sense of identity and to educate the larger community about the issues concerning Asians and Asian-Americans. To promote this goal, the members of ASA encourage the pursuit of cultural and linguistic knowledge of their ancestors to ensure that there is an understanding of Asian and Asian-American roots. The ASA will provide support to its members and serve as a body to represent, to the best of its ability, the distinct cultures of all of the members of ASA. ASA’s support extends to the community of color at large as well as other social awareness groups.
Ballroom Dancing
Kyle Epstein (kyepstein)
Barefoot Monkeys
Felix Steiny (festeiny)
The Barefoot Monkeys is the rather unique name for this newly recognized Vassar organization. It is the official name of the group formerly known as the Vassar College Jugglers. The group exists to increase juggling awareness in the Vassar community, provide an opportunity for Vassar and its surrounding community to learn to juggle, and to maintain a regular forum, educating and entertaining all prospective jugglers. All one needs to become a Barefoot Monkey is the desire to learn, to juggle and to have a great time trying.
Black Students Union (BSU)
Leona Brannon (lebrannon)
The Black Student Union is a student organization established to meet the needs and concerns of the Black students on Vassar’s campus. Its dual purpose is to provide an on-campus support system for the individual Black student while establishing and cementing ties with our sisters and brothers on other campuses and to serve as a viable political, educational, and cultural force. Its goal is to cultivate sensitivity and awareness of various Black issues and concerns in the hope it will enlighten and foster a more diverse, informed Vassar community. Membership to the BSU is open to any Vassar student who is strongly committed to the tasks of the organization.
Broadway A Cappella
Emily Hamilton (emhamilton)
Camerata
Emily Bookwalter (embookwalter)
Carribean Students Alliance (CSA)
Kristen Bell (krbell), Latoya Codougan (lacodougan)
The Caribbean Students Alliance (CSA) is an organization established to educate the Vassar community on the different traditional, cultural, social and political aspects of Caribbean life and people. One of its important functions as a student organization is to serve as a support system by providing a union where Caribbean students can express and celebrate their cultural diversity. Membership to the Caribbean Students Alliance is all inclusive. All members of the Vassar community willing to uphold the CSA constitution are welcome to bear membership and partake in its celebrations and in its endeavors to educate. The CSA will provide the campus with a valuable source of information pertaining to Caribbean issues.
Catalyst
Royce Drake (phdrake)
Catholic Community
Katrina Mateo (kamateo)
The Catholic Community at Vassar works to foster three elements of religious life for those who identify themselves as Catholic in the wider Vassar Community: Faith, Community, Social Justice. As faith is the cornerstone for our identity, we will encourage Catholics to deepen and enrich their faith. We organize means for the community to interact both internally and externally in order to communicate our goals, needs, and frustrations as a collective body. We provide opportunities for all to work towards social justice on all levels of society and heighten our sense of responsibility to the world around us.
Ceramics Club
Jeff Werner (jewerner)
CHOICE
Chelsea Dahl (chdahl)
C.H.O.I.C.E stands for Campus Health Organization for Information, Contraception, and Education. Our mission is to educate the campus about sexual health issues by distributing information about pregnancy, STIs, and contraception and to help to promote safer sex by providing free condoms, latex gloves, dental dams, and lubricant. We believe that safer sex and sexual health education are integral to creating a sexually healthy and informed student body here at Vassar. We have an email address (CHOICE@vassar.edu), as well as an AIM screen name (CHOICEatVassar), for people to request safer sex supplies, which are delivered to mailboxes, and confidentially and anonymously ask questions. The C.H.O.I.C.E office is located in the Jewett basement, to the right of the elevator, and is open to the entire Vassar Community during office hours. Members of the organization sit every Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 to 9:30 p.m. and Friday 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. C.H.O.I.C.E. allows students to borrow a variety of books and videos in the organization’s library that deal with topics like pregnancy, STIs, contraception, sexuality, and other sexual health concerns. Meetings are held every Sunday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. C.H.O.I.C.E. is a confidential and non-judgmental organization. Student educators are selected on a volunteer basis.
Christian Fellowship
Ming-Hui Tseng (mitseng)
The Vassar Christian Fellowship is affiliated with Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship, a student movement active at universities and colleges across the United States. The purposes of the Fellowship are to meet the needs of the Christian community, to provide members of the Christian community with an opportunity for fellowship and spiritual growth, and to inform the Vassar community of the Gospel of Jesus. Membership is open to all Vassar students regardless of race, color, sex, ethnicity, nationality, political or sexual orientation, marital status, or handicap. Non-Vassar students are open at the discretion of the leaders. The group’s major activities include a book table at least once a semester in the College Center with free Christian books, pamphlets, and information and the sponsoring of informative and relevant concerts, speakers, films, or discussions.
College Democrats
Kelly Stout (kestout)
The Vassar College Democrats(VCD) pledges itself to provide a forum for discussing wide-ranging political issues on campus. Although constituted from a Democratic viewpoint, the purpose of the organization is to further the political education of the Vassar community and encourage student participation in the Democratic process. The organization will address issues pertaining both to the Democratic party and to greater national, local, and social issues. The VCD is not controlled by outside political bodies, but serves to explore and define the philosophy of the Democratic Party, personal, liberal, and left-wing beliefs; and to work with the entire Vassar community to create forums for the discussion of national issues that transcend party politics. The VCD jointly sponsors Real Politik, a magazine which deals with national political issues, with the Republican/ Libertarian Coalition.
Contrast
Katie Mullen (kamullen), Alejandro Calcano (alcalcano)
Council of Black Seniors (CBS)
Nana Debrah-Karikari (nadebrahkarikari)
The Council of Black Seniors(CBS) is an organization for pre-professional services, and social and cultural events that reflect the diversity of the senior class. The pre-professional component of CBS includes career fairs, workshops, seminars, on-campus interviewing and other venues of this nature that focus specifically, but not exclusively, on the needs of black seniors. These services are garnered to prepare the black senior for when they leave Vassar and enter the work force. The social and cultural component will focus on alternative programming designed to offer more diversity to the senior week proceedings. This programming consists primarily of the Baccalaureate Service and the Kente Cloth Ceremony.
Debate Society
Yisha Fan (vifan)
Debate-to deliberate; consider. To discuss opposing points. To argue formally. Nobody does it better than debate. The Vassar Virginia Smith Debate Society exists to provide a forum whereby all kinds of people can get together and argue the issues in an organized fashion. The Debate Society competes intercollegiately, nationally, and internationally in large-scale formal debate competitions. In years past, various debaters on the team have ranked among the top in the nation. Although the Debate Society spends most of its time off-campus, it also holds regular on-campus meetings and debate practice rounds. The Vassar Debate Society is open to all members of the Vassar community, especially the articulate, belligerent ones. Just kidding. (Mostly.)
Democracy Matters
Andrea Worby (anworby)
Eating Disorder Reachout Service (EDRS)
Jennie Bernstein (jebernstein)
In an environment increasingly preoccupied with weight and appearances, EDRS seeks to counteract the prevailing “never too thin” voice of society. Our mission is to educate students about eating disorders and, perhaps more importantly, to promote healthy body image on campus. Furthermore, EDRS is responsible for a peer-run listening service for those struggling with body image issues as well as their friends and family members. All members are trained peer counselors. Please contact magrossman or sarogers with questions, comments or concerns.
Entrepreneurs
Cristina Cheng McComic (crmccomic)
Equestrian Club
Mike Sekor (misekor)
The Vassar College Equestrian Team offers competitive English riding at the intercollegiate level to any member of the Vassar student population. It maintains a membership in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association(IHSA) and competes both semesters of the college season. Students are trained by The Southerlands Foundation and ride weekly in group lessons as well as riding as a club both semesters. The group also hosts / co-hosts an IHSA horse show every year or so. Members are expected to pay their own expenses but limited financial assistance is available in addition to the fundraising the group does to off-set costs. Although, Equestrian Team is a student-run club sport, they do have a coach and as one member puts it: “We are not a recreational sport! We train weekly and compete regularly! We’re also now one of the largest club sports!” Well said.
Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA)
Abra Sussman (absussman), Clare Webb (clwebb)
The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, or FMLA, is a group open to women and men interested in worldwide gender equity. We focus on national campaigns, for example: supporting Roe vs. Wade and reproductive rights, trying to get Emergency Contraception available over the counter, and working to get the Convention to End all forms of Discrimination Against Women ratified. We often use petitioning, tabling, phone drives, and other specific direct action in our campaigns. Our members are both male and female, pro-choice, and interested in changing the stereotypical positions of women and men in society. We also try to initiate change in the Poughkeepsie community through public forums, Big Brothers Big Sisters, or voter registration drives. Our on-campus participation includes bringing progressive, feminist speakers or musicians to Vassar and gathering the support of Vassar students in our national campaigns
Forum for Political Thought
Britt Van Paepeghem (brvanpaepeghem), Quynh Pham (qupham)
The Vassar College Forum for Political Thought shall serve the purpose of providing the Vassar community with a space for discussing and learning about politics outside of dominant Democrat vs. Republican or liberal vs. conservative ways of thinking. We aim to explore political topics from a variety of perspectives in a casual and non-intimidating environment. While other political student organizations focus on political activism and affiliate themselves with established parties or groups, we seek to foster uninhibited political discourse that engages a wide political spectrum. We share the conviction that political thought should serve as a theoretical compass to give direction to our understandings of the issues that face our society.
French Club
Sarah Warbutron (sawarburton)
The Vassar French Club is primarily a culture club, and though students interested in improving their French will have the opportunity to practice with native francophone students, speaking ability is not necessary. Members of the French Club gather to prepare and enjoy French meals, fundraise by cooking and selling crepes, host French dinner and dessert banquets for the whole campus, transform the Mug into a discothèque for Europop Mug Night, attend delicious francophone-themed dinners hosted by West Point’s French Club, and travel together to Virginia for the VCU French Film Festival. The club works closely with Vassar’s French Department, and professors are often involved in events, such as the annual cheese-tasting. New events planned for this year include a trip to New York City to enjoy French art and film and a campus-wide Mardi Gras bash.
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Future Waitstaff of America (FWA)
Amanda Giglio (amgiglio)
Description: “Future Waitstaff of America is the campus’s first and only theatre group that is devoted entirely to Musical Theatre. Founded in the fall of 2005, this group produces one show each semester. Past productions have included BATBOY, SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, and THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE. All of the productions are completely student-run, so there are many opportunities to get involved both onstage and off, whether you like to act, direct, design, stage manage, be a backstage technician (techie), etc.”
Habitat for Humanity
Brook Widman (brwidman), Jenny Van Wyk (jevanwyk)
This organization’s purpose is to pursue the goals of the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Chapter Program: to help educate the campus and community about the work of Habitat for Humanity, to help build and rehabilitate houses in partnership with the Habitat for Humanity affiliates in the Hudson Valley and other areas, and to help raise funds and contribute moneys for the work of Habitat and other charitable causes(on an infrequent basis). The chapter also seeks to encourage interaction between diverse cross-sections of the Vassar community. Anyone interested in participating in habitat’s projects, registered students and their families, is welcome to become a member of the chapter. Although Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian group, no discrimination will be made on the basis of religion or lack there of. Members of all faiths will be welcomed and all efforts will be made to accommodate them and their beliefs.
Happily Ever Laughter
Dane Jensen (dajensen)
Happily Ever Laughter (HEL) is a comedy troupe that relies primarily upon sketch comedy, with some improvisation, stand-up, guerrilla, and other phenomena. The group shall provide the Vassar community with at least two performances or happenings per semester, performance space pending. Membership to HEL is by audition. Auditions to HEL will be held on a need-only basis. Prospective members will be judged on the quality of written material, performance in improvisation games, and a short, meaningful discussion with the current members of the group.
Helicon
Asia Suler (assuler)
Helicon is an organization whose purpose is to serve the needs and expand the creative voice of Vassar’s literary community. Helicon publishes a literary magazine featuring works by Vassar Students. It also publishes a more frequent publication consisting of creative works writers and artists not necessarily a part of the Vassar student body. This includes a calendar of writers’ events and assorted Helicon miscellanea. In addition to these publications, Helicon orchestrates events and activities garnered towards the enrichment of Vassar’s writers community. Some past events have included regularly scheduled Writing Workshops and Writer’s Nights in the Cafe as well as the sponsoring of various relevant speakers brought by other organizations. Membership is open to all.
Hip Hop 101
Lisa Field (lifield), Jay Leff (jaleff)
Homework Club
Matt Pavlich (mapavlich)
Hunger Action
Rachel Glicksman (raglicksman), Ezra Roth (ezroth)
Vassar’s egalitarian chapter of the national organization Hunger Action Committee strives to alleviate hunger and homelessness. We cook and distribute meals at a local soup kitchen and shelter on a regular basis. We also give food, clothing, and toiletries to the homeless people of Poughkeepsie and New York City several times a semester. In addition, we fundraise and hold events to increase awareness about global hunger and poverty.
Idlewild Theater
Belen Ferrer (beferrer)
Improv
Seth Biberstein (sebiberstein)
Improv is an improvisational-based performance group whose sole and never-ending mission is to bring laughter and good cheer to an otherwise dull world. Founded in 1908, by Jon Adams, Machiavelli, and Jean-Paul Sartre, Improv’s first show was held in the deserted town of Roanoke; no one attended to their dismay. Since those humble beginnings, Improv has blossomed into a well-loved and popular entertainment group. For almost 80 years Improv has performed consistently on campus and taken their shows to other colleges in order to spread the good cheer and uphold Vassar’s reputation for the performing arts. Membership is open to all Vassar students. Improv uses all-original material including whatever comes to mind, and whatever material is at hand.
Indecent Exposure
Lorraine DeGraffenreidt (lodegraffenreidt)
Indecent Exposure is Vassar College’s only all-female comedy troupe. Founded in 2004 by Heather Trobe, the group was created in response to a very serious lack of female comedians. Not only does it provide a space for women comedians to come together and share ideas, but also to create smart, unusual, innovative, and progressive shows. Debunking the myth that women cannot be funny, Indecent Exposure consistently performs stand-up, and their shows also include sketches, songs, and dance.
Investment Club
Georg Machinist (gemachinist)
Italian Club
Anna Licht (anlicht)
A new organization, the Vassar Italian Club is very enthusiastic about celebrating and promoting the Italian culture in Vassar Campus. While the Italian Culture will be explored mainly through music, food, film and art, those who wish to study the Italian language will also find opportunities to practice. Some of the activities that the Italian Club has are film screenings, Italian food cooking, Italian music parties and collaborative events with other clubs. The club is open to all students, faculty, staff, and other members of the Vassar community regardless of their knowledge of the Italian language. In addition, membership is not limited to Italian majors, correlates or students enrolled in the department’s classes.
Knights of Commuknitty
Caitlin Halasz (cahalasz)
Mahagonny Ensemble
Music Director - Mark Van Hare (mavanhare)
The Mahagonny Ensemble is a student-run choral and instrumental group
focusing on works written within the last 100 years. Our goal is to
provide musicians at Vassar with an opportunity to perform challenging
repertoire within the setting of a larger chamber ensemble and to give
students the rare opportunity to work directly with living composers.
Recent repertoire has included works by Stravinsky (Mass, Octet,
Dumbarton Oaks Concerto for Chamber Orchestra), Copland (Appalachian
Spring), Menotti (The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore),
Schoenberg, Poulenc, Britten, Carter, Ligeti, Rzewski, and Reich.
Last winter, the ensemble had an opportunity to work in a masterclass
with composer Yehudi Weiner (Pulitzer Prize in music 2006) on his
work, Passage.
Rehearsals are scheduled around department performing groups and are limited to once a week.
Matthew’s Minstrels
John Lagomarsino (jolagomarsino)
Matthew’s Minstrels is a co-ed a-cappella group that was founded in 1978 and has since provided Vassar with 25 years of fun music. The Minstrels sing a wide variety of music ranging from 50’s doo-wop to jazz to your favorite tunes of the 80’s and 90’s. Matthew’s Minstrels perform up to two major concerts a year on campus, and when invited, off campus. They also perform for dorm study breaks and special events upon request. Renowned for their interspersing splices of humor in their music making, Matthew’s Minstrels is a highly entertaining and popular group. Quoting a fan, “There’s just no one like the Minstrels!” Audition is required for membership.
Measure 4 Measure
Hannah Ewert-Krocker (haewertkrocker@gmail.com)
Measure 4 Measure is one of Vassar’s all-female a cappella groups. It was started in 1981 by a few of the Vassar Night Owls. The two groups are still in operation though in recognition of their common past, they try to maintain good relations. Each semester, M4M has at least one concert but in the past has had two in the last school semester. They usually invite other schools to sing at these functions and are themselves often invited to other schools to sing. M4M has a tradition of singing contemporary music and their repertoire contains songs that are intricately arranged. That is one of their trademarks. They sing often and well and are occasionally paid to do so. Membership is by audition.
MEChA
Anastasia Hardin (anhardin)
As the official Chicano/a voice of Vassar, MEChA seeks to create a sense of community and security for Chicano/a students on campus. The organization strives to fairly represent and reclaim their ethnic identity while increasing campus-wide consciousness of the social and political issues that have kept their people oppressed. Members are committed to joining the movement towards self-determination for the purpose of liberating Aztlán, the birthplace of nuestra gente. Membership is open to all Vassar students who share the values and interests of the organization, regardless of race and/or ethnicity.
Moderate Independent Conservative Alliance (MICA)
Jeremy Bright (jebright)
M.I.C.A. is an umbrella organization that aims to further moderate, independent, conservative and libertarian thought on campus. In addition to sponsoring events designed to expand the breadth of Vassar’s political dialogue, M.I.C.A. publishes The Regressive, a quarterly periodical. Regular meetings are held weekly in Josselyn House.
Miscellany News
Brian Farkas (brfarkas)
Founded in 1866, and originally named the Vassar Miscellany, The Miscellany News is the campus newspaper and events publication. As the oldest student publication at the College, the publication appreciates contributions from all members of the college community - students, administrators, faculty, alumni/alumnae, and trustees. Its purpose is to inform them of news, art, and sports in and around the college in a timely and complete manner; it also serves as an open forum for public dialogue on important issues pertaining to the community and world. Any student within the Vassar community may serve on the staff of the paper as long as s/he attends weekly writer’s meetings and fulfills the obligations of a staff writer as defined in The Miscellany News’ constitution. The Editorial Board meets every week for an open paper critique and welcomes the community’s comments at this time.
Multiracial/Biracial Student Association
Kyle Chea (kychea), Dyana Boxley
The goal of the Multiracial/Biracial Student Association is to create a sense of community for student of mixed heritage on Vassar’s Campus. We aim to raise awareness of the social, political, and cultural issues that multiracial students are faced with. We’re open to all students who are dedicated to learning more about the multiracial experience. Acknowledging how our experience differs from the experience of other racial/ethnic minority groups already represented on campus, we provide a safe space for multiracial voices to be heard.
Night Owls
Ellen Butler (elbutler)
The Night Owls are the nation’s oldest continuing all-female a-cappella group. They were founded in 1942 when a plague struck campus that had everyone quarantined at night. A few brave women snuck out of their dorms and met in the basement of the library to sing into the night. They function now to arrange, rehearse, perform and record a-cappella music for the Vassar community and abroad. They perform at least two concerts a year and invite other college groups to perform with them. They also travel abroad to sing and compete in tournament. They have been invited to sing at both of Clinton’s inaugurations. They are quite a spectacular group with a rich history. Their repertoire is mainly from the 20’s but not exclusively. Membership is by audition.
No Offense
Andi Sharavsky (ansharavsky)
No Offense, Vassar’s first and oldest sketch comedy group, was founded in 1988 by a group of students seeking an outlet for writing and performing comedy while wearing fake facial hair. We write, perform, and produce 4 full-length sketch and video shows per year. Group membership is by audition only. We still love a good stick-on mustache.
No Such Organization (NSO)
Suzanne Rozier (surozier)
Nordic Team
Jennifer Van Wyk (jevanwyk)
The Vassar Nordic Team (VNT) strives to rid the bias of the Vassar
community that all skiers require a chairlift. As a member of the
United States Collegiate Ski Association (USCSA), the team provides
cross-country skiing and racing opportunities for students of all
levels of ability. In addition to traveling to competitive events
across the Northeast, the team makes regular expeditions to the
Mohonk Preserve for recreation and training. Due to the high cost of
skiing and unequal distribution of snow in the United States and
around the world, few have experienced the unique opportunity of
nordic skiing. It provides an excellent alternative for exercise in
the winter and makes for exhilarating encounters with some of the
Hudson Valley and New England’s pristine wilderness.
On Tap
Mike Sekor (misekor)
Operation Donation
Jimmy Kelly (jakelly)
We, the members of Operation Donation, pledge to develop and implement innovative methods of service to support the Dutchess County community and the world around us. We will utilize funds raised by our members in order to purchase basic food and hygiene products in order to enhance the basic quality of life for Dutchess County residents in need. Through our efforts, we hope to set an example in order to raise and renew awareness of the heart of a cooperative spirit.
Outing Club
Wilson Salls (wisalls)
The Outing Club is Vassar’s connection to the great outdoors. Members receive a weekly email containing all the trips and events happening that week, and sign up as they please. There is no minimum commitment required; each member determines how active he or she will be. The Outing Club aims to stimulate participation in and appreciation for the outdoors; to promote low-impact usage of the outdoors; to provide trained, reliable, and safe outdoors leadership for the community; to provide specialized outdoors equipment and knowledge to the community, and to do all of this without financial discrimination. Activities include backpacking, hiking and mountain climbing in the scenic Hudson Valley area and beyond, rock climbing in the ‘Gunks, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, whitewater rafting, and skydiving. Extended overnight trips run during October and Spring Breaks. The Outing Club emphasizes that all activities are open to any member of the Vassar community. All outdoor activities have trained leaders assigned to see to all the logistics of the activity, as well as to ensure the safety of the group. Any member of the community may train to be a leader. To receive the weekly email, become a leader, or pose any questions regarding the club, please contact the above name.
PEACE
Sarah Hughes (sahughes)
P.E.A.C.E. is a non-profit national organization devoted to the elimination of prejudices and racism. They believe hatred is something one learns not something one is born with. Through activism, education and the experience of diversity, one will not learn tolerance, but a genuine acceptance and appreciation of the difference. P.E.A.C.E. strives to celebrate commonalties, establish relationships, create memories, and promote understanding while building awareness through the knowledge of our difference. P.E.A.C.E. is not an organization that preaches diversity. It is an organization that provides people with the experience of diversity. To accomplish this, P.E.A.C.E. has, among other things, two major programs. P.E.A.C.E.’s Brothers and Sisters program seeks to establish relationship among children of different races, ethnicities and religions. It involves elementary to middle school students, as well as college students, teachers, administrators and interested community members. The Awareness Day program is aimed more towards high school and college students. It is designed to create discussion on racism and prejudice and takes place in area high schools and at Vassar.
Philaletheis
Danielle Morvant (damorvant)
The Philalethies Society is an organization which provides the Vassar community with the opportunity to efficiently produce dramatic works of art. It shall be used as a means for aiding production through an advising and support system that encompasses the artistic, financial, and technical aspects of theater. The Philaletheis Society is the primary student production company, and as such assists in the management of the Coal Bin Theater through the Coal Bin Advisory Board(CBAB). The Society works closely with administrators and other campus groups to ensure fair and proper use of the Theater. Membership to Philaletheis is open to all undergraduate students of Vassar College and based upon their desire to participate.
PHOCUS
Erica Hersh (erhersh), Claire Salinda (clsalinda), Mary Fletcher (mafletcher)
Phocus runs the community darkroom on a cooperative, members-only basis. Since the college does not offer a photography course, Phocus seeks to fill in some of the gaps. It sponsors showings of student work, offers mini courses in various topics, and sponsors guest lectures and field trips. Many of the activities of the group involve fees, as does membership to the darkroom co-op, although the fee is waived for those who see to its upkeep. Also, students participating in the photo mini-course are admitted free. Membership to PHOCUS is open to the entire Vassar community with or without experience in photography.
Poder Latino
Kristen Ramos (krramos)
Poder Latino is an organization founded to address the needs and concerns of Vassar’s Latino community and to serve as a support group and a political action group. Its purpose is to promote communication and understanding between the members of Poder Latino and the other members of the Vassar community through forums, lectures, and other social events. It also serves to create a network between Poder Latino and other Latino communities, particularly in the local area, in order to provide strength and support in dealing with Latino issues. All members of the Vassar community are eligible to become members of Poder Latino. Particular effort will be made to recruit Vassar Latino students, for whom the group is founded. Full membership in Poder Latino, as in any serious organization, is contingent upon regular attendance at meetings and other active forms of support.
Polo Team
Shaina Horowitz (shhorowitz)
The Vassar College Polo Team is a nationally recognized, competetive polo team. We play at the Varsity level against schools like Yale, UConn, and Skidmore. We travel throughout the region to compete and have attended regionals all the way to Indiana. We practice two times a week at Gardnertown Polo in Newburgh. We also participate in club chukkers 2-3 times a week. Members can conceivably practice 5-6 times a week if they are interested. We compete in about 3 or 4 games a month and our season lasts from September to April. Members pay a flat fee per semester and additional riding has no extra charge. We are actively seeking new members for our men’s and women’s team. No experience is necessary - one of our two nationally ranked coaches will be happy to teach you to ride and to play.
Premium Brew
Michael Dickerson (midickerson)
Premium Brew is one of the last bastions of all male barbershop music still breathing in this world of contemporary acapella. Only half of
the repertoire is barbershop music, while the other half is a melange of oldies music that can be most easily defined as “good.” Premium Brew
was founded way back in 2002 by five guys with dreams, the dreams were all different and subsequently Premium Brew is the end result. Today
Brew consists of a membership of a non bakers dozen of Vassar men who all have a love for music, Barbara, and French culture.
Pro-Health
Jared Augenstein (jaaugenstein)
Queer Coalition of Vassar College (QCVC)
(queer@vassar.edu), Phillipe Kleefield (phkleefield)
Queer Coalition of Vassar College exists to help various projects by and for Vassar’s transgender, lesbian, bisexual, gay and allied students. We use the word “queer” to recognize and affirm a plurality of sex, sexuality, and gender difference. Last year under the umbrella of QC, Gay-Straight Alliance and Women’s Group provided weekly meeting space in the College Center and Blegen house, the designated queer safe-space on campus. A Drag Revolution was also spawned under QC resources. Queer Breifs, a monthly newsletter, keeps us (through our bathroom stalls) aware of queer stuff on campus. Last year QC brought performers and held an all campus party. First Step provides a confidential discussion group for students discovering new dimensions of their sexuality.
Red Panda
Kartik Naram (kanaram), Brian Moody (brmoody)
RunVassar
Andrew Utas (anutas)
Sailing Team
Alan Neuhauser (alneuhauser)
The Sailing Team at Vassar is open to all students and includes a large range of skill levels. There are Learn-To-Sail clinics on land and on the water. There is also the opportunity to compete in many Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association races throughout the fall and spring. The club has a boathouse on the Hudson River with three 420s and a Laser. Transportation and equipment are provided and paid for by the club. All amounts of experience are welcome and encouraged but swimming proficiency is required.
Shakespeare Troupe
Anna Raff (anraff)
The Shakespeare Troupe is an ensemble of 10-15 actors, designers, and directors who produce one play from Shakespeare’s cannon every spring semester in an outdoor setting. We strive to constantly challenge ourselves as artists, as well as always questioning and changing the approach and understanding of Shakespeare on the Vassar campus.
Ski Team
Sophie Muschel-Horton (somuschelhorton)
Ski Team organizes competitive ski racing for the students of Vassar college. It is our fervent belief that ski racing, due to its prodigious cost, is chiefly a past time of the elite. These elites perpetuate the capitalist super-structures that preserve our low socio-economic status. To combat the unyielding class homogeneity inherent in ski culture, we, the proletariat, secure funds and disperse them freely to help the common, working class Vassar students (as well as their capitalist overlord fellow students) to participate in and to subvert a principle bastion of neocolonial patriarchy - ski racing. As a competitive club we are members of the National Collegiate Skiing Association (NCSA) and race in the MacBride Division. The team is competitive although no race experience is necessary to join.
South Asian Students Alliance (SASA)
Shilpa Kothari (shkothari), Anjali Yakkundi (anyakkundi)
The South Asian Students Alliance(SASA) is an organization established to meet the needs and concerns of the South Asian community at Vassar College. Its
goal is to provide a forum for students in which issues of cultural, political, religious and ethnic relevance are discussed and dealt with. Furthermore, it seeks to inject a South Asian component into the academic curriculum of Vassar College. It unifies the students of South Asian descent and at the same time provides the Vassar community with an insight into and understanding of issues of South Asian culture and politics. Membership into SASA is voluntary and open to all Vassar students.
Squirm
Ashlyn Oprescu (asoprescu)
Squirm is a submissions-based magazine about sex and sexuality. Squirm seeks to create a sex-positive forum on campus for the artistic, literary, and creative exploration of sex. All members of the Vassar community are welcome and encouraged to submit artwork, photography and written work to Squirm.
Student Activist’s Union (SAU)
Jeanette Roach (jeroach)
The Vassar College Student Activist’s Union (SAU) is an action-oriented organization that seeks to promote human rights and equality. The SAU interacts with other organizations in the promotion of issues of mutual concerns and provides speakers, films, workshops, and newsletters on relevant human rights issues. The SAU has been active at Vassar for the past eight years. We fight for recognition of women’s rights, work against racism and bigotry, and give support to the worker’s and environmental movements. Through rallying, letter-writing campaigns, speak-out and petitions we promote progressive social action on Vassar College, in Dutchess County, in Washington D.C., and abroad. On-campus, we sponsor films, lectures, and an annual Earth Day celebration to educate and inform the campus.
Synchronized Skating (Iced Brew)
Rachel Eisen (raeisen)
Jillian Gonzalez (jigonzalez), Travis Craw (trcraw)
The Limit is a comedy group focused primarily on sketch comedy and short films. Along with putting on sketch shows of our own, we also host student short-film festivals and stand-up comedy nights. Admittance to the group is by audition only. We enjoy pad thai and generally dislike long walks on the beach.
TONCA
Melanie Lin (melin)
Unbound
Ben Chase, Elizabeth Yagoda, Alexander Noelle (alnoelle), Michelle Stein, Kartik Naram
UNICEF
(unicefatvassar@vassar.edu), Abbey Hipple (abhipple)
UNICEF AT VASSAR is an organization dedicated to raising awareness on campus about the issues that currently affect thousands of children around the world, what UNICEF does to help, and what the Vassar Community can do to contribute.
Unitarian Universalists
Ashley Money (asmoney)
Unitarian Universalism (UU) is a liberal, non-credal religious tradition that values the inherent worth and dignity of ALL people. With this in mind, Vassar’s UU group seeks to explore spirituality, discuss social issues, and build a safe, welcoming community. Students run weekly worships and discussions, and some participate in services at the Poughkeepsie UU Fellowship. All students are welcome, regardless of previous knowledge of, or involvment with, UUism.
Vassar Animal Rescue Coalition (VARC)
Sarah Brown (sabrown)
The main goal of the VARC is to educate the campus about its obligation to maintain the safety and welfare of its non-human animal residents. Animals are constantly abandoned on campus, often to negligent students. Most of the funds for the group go to a spay-neuter release program which serves to control the pet population by vaccinating Vassar strays, spaying/neutering them, and then releasing them in a rural and safer area or placing them with loving adopting families. VARC also brings pertinent speakers to the campus and sets up tables in the College Center to further educate the campus about issues pertaining to animal welfare.
Vassar Association of Class Activists
Thomas Facchine (thfacchine)
The Class Issues Alliance is dedicated to promoting awareness of the existence of class difference here on campus and in the greater community. We are a support network for students who are first generation and/or working class, and we aim to promote social awareness through lectures, cross-class discussions, and by building coalitions with other student and community groups. Although the group primarily consists of first generation and working class students, it is open to all who are interested in learning about the significance of class on campus and in society.
Vassar Bikes
David Mann (damann)
Vassar College Emergency Medical Services
Jarra Munger (jamunger)
Vassar College Emergency Medical Services (VCEMS) provides high-quality, confidential emergency medical care for the Vassar College community during the academic year. VCEMS operates on weeknights from 5pm until 8am, and provides 24-hour coverage from Friday at 5pm until Monday morning at 8am. VCEMS also provides extra coverage during large-scale campus events. The minimum requirement for riding with VCEMS is national CPR/AED certification, but the majority of our members are also NY-certified EMT-Bs.
Vassar College Television (VCTV)
Brian Mawyer (brmawyer)
VCTV is proud to be the only college television group in America that does not have access to a television channel or television production facilities of any kind. In fact, the name VCTV really is a misnomer, since we really just do screenings of popular films and once in a blue moon use our cameras for silly little skits. However, we do frequently lend our cameras to students on campus, who use our equipment for their own silly little skits: in this manner VCTV provides an important digital media outlet to members of the campus who otherwise would have to spend money to buy their own camera and editing equipment in order to film their own silly little skits. It is a great opportunity for students to gain powerful positions since we have more positions than members. We are a top heavy organization. Currently we are entrenched in an epic and arduous effort to squash rival groups that do exactly what we do (aka Film League and Vassar Production Club). In conclusion, VCTV is the only organization that has active meaningful communication with several prominent American institutions such as the office of the governor of California and E! Entertainment Network.
Schwarzenegger For America, 2012!
Vassar Devils
Dana Van Brunt (davanbrunt)
“Vassar Devils” is synonymous with quality in every price range. This affordable a cappella group is seriously fun, and makes listeners say, “pour me more!” It’s succulent and juicy, bursting with black cherry and raspberry flavors, yet sports enough power and complexity to raise an approving eyebrow … or two.
Vassar Filmmakers
Brian Paccione (brpaccione)
Vassar Filmmakers provides all students with a chance to direct, produce and edit their own films with access to industry-rate materials and services, funds, and a talented, motivated group of individuals. Vassar Filmmakers strives to construct a community of filmmakers across campus who work collaboratively with faculty and departments to get their visions realized. Meetings are set up for feedback and constructive criticism on individual projects, as well as screenings, discussions and production organizing.
Vassar Flypeople
Arielle Danziger (ardanziger), Sarah Yurch (sayurch)
The FlyPeople is a fun-loving, booty-shakin’ dance group that aims to move its groove thang while entertaining people in the process. Combining jazz, hip-hip, modern, and lyrical dance the group is entirely student run and varies in its focus semester to semester, depending on its members. Auditions are held at the beginning of each semester and the number of members is kept at around 30. Dancers do not have to have had years of rigorous technique, but more importantly a presence and vivacity when performing. Commitment is once a week on Sundays and weekly as needed closer to performances. There is at least one performance per semester, with occaisonal guest appearances at other events.
Vassar Green Party
Peter Satin (pesatin)
Vassar Greens
Madeleine Newbold (manewbold), Sarah Craig (sacraig)
The Vassar Greens seek to increase awareness of local, national, and global environmental issues on campus. They accomplish this goal by dispersing information to students, sponsoring lectures, films and groups that are concerned with environmental issues, providing a forum for discussion on environmental issues, and evaluating the state of campus ecology while serving as a vehicle for action on these concerns.
Membership is voluntary and open to all students in the Vassar College community.
Vassar Jewish Union (VJU)
Natania Gazek (nagazek)
The Vassar Jewish Union seeks to serve all Jewish members of the Vassar community regardless of their backgrounds or form of Jewish expression. The VJU does not endorse a partisan view of Jewish life, and encourages expression of all the facets of Jewish experience in search of an actively diverse Jewish life on campus. The VJU’s purpose is as follows: to teach students about Jewish heritage, Israel, and the variety of Jewish experiences throughout the world; to strengthen the bonds between the Jewish religion and its cultures; to serve as a political voice of Judaism in the Vassar community; to promote political, cultural, and religious dialogue with members of other cultural and religious communities in order to foster communications and understanding; to help enrich the lives of the Vassar community as a whole; and to prepare students for an informed and active participation in the Jewish communities that reside outside of Vassar’s gates and those communities they may enter after Vassar. VJU has a base of operations in the Bayit, a house located on Collegeview near the cemetery. Membership to the VJU is open to all students and most meetings are open to the public.
Vassar Pagan Circle
Aaron Fagan (aafagan)
The Pagan Circle works to provide a space for all those who identify with or would like to learn more about Paganism. The mission of the group is to offer resources for Pagans and non-Pagans to discuss issues of belief and share in their experiences. These efforts provide a space for intimate discussion and education concerning Pagan issues. We have a variety of social, spiritual, and educational events throughout the semester. The basic format of our meetings is a sharing of each other’s interests and beliefs. All are welcome to come learn more about Paganism.
Vassar Prison Initiative
Hensleigh Crowell (hensleighcrowell)
Vassar Public Art Committee
Joseph Martinez (jomartinez)
Vassar Punx
Andres Gutierrez (angutierrez), Hassan Sakhtah (hasakhtah)
Vassar Quidditch
Vassar Teknowledgy
Christopher Mykles (chmykles)
Vassar Ultimate Frisbee
Women: Brittany Kaplan (brkaplan), Sara Cornish (sacornish)
Men: Jon Read (jonread), Reuben Hudson (reuhudson)
Ultimate Frisbee is one of Vassar’s club sports. These are teams that are entirely student run. Despite the lack of formal coaching, they continue to represent Vassar at the national and international level. The purpose of Ultimate Frisbee is to recruit and train its members with the goals of general fun and competition. They practice often and compete regularly. They may also host tournaments amongst Vassar students or with other Frisbee teams.
Vassarion
Sasha Tropp (satropp)
The Vassarion is the Vassar College yearbook. Our student-run organization is primarily self-funded and provides a service to the school in the publication of an annual. The sections of this year’s book are: Student Life, Academics, Seniors, Organizations, Athletics, and Community. The Community section is this year’s endeavor to sell ads to students, parents, faculty, administration and community businesses. The funds will be allotted for the payment of this year’s book. The yearbook is usually sold for $60. The Vassar community is encouraged to preorder their copy since it is less expensive to buy during the fall semester. The price goes up to $70 in the spring. Any interested Vassar student is eligible to be on the yearbook staff provided that they are qualified for the position they seek.
Vastards
Selby Brown (sebrown)
The Vastards are a fun-loving, extra-loud, co-ed a cappella group that gets an almost embarrassing amount of pleasure from a good harmony. They sing all the songs you loved in Middle School, or at least the songs you loved to hate. They enjoy long walks on the beach, sunsets, and kittens.
ViCE
Anabel Graff (angraff)
ViCE stands for Vassar College Entertainment (don’t ask ME where the ‘i’ comes from). It is the large-scale programming body on campus and serves to bring a variety of entertainment to Vassar. It also sponsors campus events. The goal of ViCE is to provide diverse entertainment programming designed to satisfy the entertainment needs of the student body. Membership is voluntary and open to all members of the Vassar student body.
VISA
Arjun Agarwala (aragarwala)
Organization to help international students overcome cultural shock in America, and integrate in the Vassar Community.
VOX
Andrea Chiger (anchiger)
Water Polo
Jordan Stone (jostone)
Wholistic
wholistic@vassar.edu, Melissa Dion (medion)
Wholistic is our organization on campus for promoting balanced and healthy living on campus. We view holism as a balance of all the elements that make up the world and ourselves. We reach out to a variety of methods that are sometimes outside of the mainstream. We emphasize alternative eating styles such as eating whole foods not processed foods, and eating local foods not mass-produced foods. We advocate for physical and mental practices such as meditation, yoga, and tai chi to have a stronger presence on campus. Holism also includes sustainability and a respectful relationship with the environment. We recognize each individual’s specificness and uniqueness, while appreciating our interconnectedness. Past wholistic events have included meditative dinners, cooking classes, herbal workshops, and we have facilitated trips to centers for wholistic learning.
WOCA
Leona Brannon (lebrannon)
Woodshed Theatre Ensemble
Max Sturm (masturm)
Wordsmiths
Rahkel Shapiro (raktopus@yahoo.com)
WVKR
Hunter Haney (huhaney)
The FM radio station of Vassar College known as 91.3 WVKR FM is a non-commercial, educational, student-operated, broadcast facility licensed to the trustees of the college and serving the Poughkeepsie community as required by the Federal Communications Act of 1934 and all subsequent revisions thereof. In addition to operating as legally obligated under federal law, it shall be the objective of this organization to educate, entertain, and involve the members of the Vassar community in the maintenance and operation of this FM broadcast station. The radio station is located on the third floor of the College Center and broadcasts a wide variety of radio programming including, but not limited to music and talk shows, instructionals, and the news and weather. Broadcasting usually runs 22-24 hours a day, seven days a week. Any member of the Vassar community may join the staff of WVKR or have their own show provided they follow the regulations set forth by WVKR and the law. WVKR encourages visitors provided they act in a responsible manner. For more information regarding radio shows or membership see the contact person of the group.