Something for Everyone: Club Fair 2024

The Brittain Bradley Family Plaza and Alumnae Garden were abuzz with excitement on the morning of September 10 as nearly 100 student organizations gathered for Marlborough’s annual Club Fair. This highly-anticipated event transforms the campus into a marketplace of activities, ideas, and opportunities, creating a powerful sense of shared community.

The energy was palpable, with tables lining the pathways, each decorated with signs and themed giveaways that offered a window into the membership and mission of each unique club. The fair featured an impressive array of student organizations across a variety of categories including activism, arts, athletics, career, civics, community partnerships, humanities, interest-based, language and culture, STEM, identity-based groups, and groups working within the Shari and Edward Glazer Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Interest-based clubs showcase the diversity of interests within the Marlborough student body. Clubs such as the Sewing Club, Formula 1 Club, and Mustang T.R.A.I.L. provide students the chance to explore their passions with like-minded peers and learn new skills and hobbies along the way. The STEM clubs include groups like Math Club, whose mission is to “develop interest in mathematics and increase the female representation in math,” and FemStem, whose members work to “disprove and destroy patriarchal norms by empowering Marlborough girls to engage in STEM-related topics.” 

Arts, athletics, humanities, and language and culture clubs serve as bridges between classroom learning and passionate exploration. They offer the opportunity for students to delve deeper into subjects that ignite their curiosity. Clubs in these categories include offerings such as Marlborough Multilingual Magazine, Art History Club, and Classics Club. Sports enthusiasts could opt in to clubs like Rock Climbing Club or The Soccer Lounge. Career-focused organizations provide their members with the chance to network and access professional development resources in their chosen fields such as medicine, finance, and entrepreneurship. Each club’s table offered a glimpse into how students can transform their varied interests into dynamic experiences.

Using the confidence and education gleaned from their Marlborough education, many students join clubs centered around activism, civic engagement, and community partnerships to affect positive change in the world. Student leaders have established clubs like the Eco Club, Play for Equal Pay, Informed Electorate, and FemEd. These clubs highlight ways for students to make a difference both on- and off-campus. 

Marlborough’s identity-based groups support student identity development and promote leadership and empowerment. These groups are run by students and supported by staff and faculty advisors. There are two types of identity-based groups: 
—Affinity Groups: These groups, which are student-led and advisor-guided, focus on a marginalized or underrepresented social identity. While typically closed in nature, Affinity Groups may have open meetings or activities in which the larger community might be invited to participate.
—Work Groups: These groups are staff- and faculty-led in partnership with students, where together the group explores a specific privileged social identity and work towards justice and reducing harm.

In the Shari and Edward Glazer Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, student organizations offer a range of experiences in which students can engage. The Corner Café is a student-run café where students learn more about entrepreneurship in the food world. Code Violet is to “bring together gamers in the Marlborough community for opportunities to learn and have fun. The Gaming Club is a great way to meet new people, play new games, and have fun!” The Edge serves as Marlborough’s literary magazine celebrating student and staculty work. The staff of 9th-12th graders review submissions and decide on theme and layout in collaboration with each other. 

It is clear that Club Fair is more than just an energetic moment on campus. It is a celebration of student interests and initiative. It showcases the myriad ways the Marlborough community actively pursues their passions and supports one another in doing so. No matter a student’s interests, they are able to find a community of peers who share in that joy. There truly is something for everyone on the Marlborough campus.