Stony Brook University is home to more than 300 clubs and organizations, all run by students.

At the beginning of each year, the campus-wide Involvement Fair showcases the clubs and organizations offered at Stony Brook. This year, the event will take place during Campus Lifetime on Sept. 12.

The Undergraduate Student Government oversees clubs and organizations on campus and allocates club budgets. It comprises seven executive board members, 22 senators, four class representatives and a judiciary board. Freshmen are eligible to run for the class representative position in mid-fall.

The clubs and organizations on campus vary in size and type—from sports clubs, to dance groups, to volunteer organizations, to school subjects and graduate preparatory clubs. Requirements for each club are different, but students must have a 2.5 GPA to hold a position.

The university encourages students to get involved in some type of extracurricular activity, and if there is nothing of interest offered, students can create their own club or organization. The step-by-step process can be found on the USG website: stonybrookusg.org.

One organization still budding at Stony Brook is Humans vs. Zombies, where students team up to see who can survive the ‘zombie apocalypse’ fought with Nerf guns across campus. More than 400 students signed up for the battle last year, and the club has seen significant growth in its numbers since the first game started in spring 2010.

If academia sounds more appealing, Stony Brook has ample amounts of pre-professional societies and interest groups. Volunteer organizations such as the Alternative Spring Break Outreach, or ASBO, sends student to areas in need.

USG Vice President of Communications Sophia Marsh said the best way to overcome the SBU commuter school stereotype is by getting involved and joining a club.

“It’s the best way to meet people who are like-minded,” she said. “And it’s the best way to become part of the community.”