Engage in campus
Discover the many ways you can get involved with student organizations at Berkeley. Our campus offers more than 1,200 student clubs and organizations, from student government to advocacy groups, from Greek life to the Peace Corps, you can get involved with as many student organizations as your interests, schedule, and scholastic pursuits permit. If you can’t find something that suits your interests, you can form your own organization—new groups are constantly forming and changing to meet the needs of the our students.
Berkeley will encourage you to connect with peers and engage with the campus through activities beyond the classroom. It’s way to make the large campus of UC Berkeley a little bit smaller. Many Berkeley students join organizations based on their interest, passion, or identity. Whether your interest is in service, culture/religion, politics, an academic/professional interest, or something else, there is a student organization for you.
Leadership
Berkeley students are leaders. Leadership looks different for everyone, but all forms of leadership are supported at Berkeley. For students who are interested in getting involved, a good place to get started is through our LEAD Center (Leadership, Engagement, Advising, and Development).
Students engage in leadership in a variety of way:
- Activism – Berkeley’s history of student engagement and activism dates back to the Free Speech Movement from the 1960s. Berkeley students challenge the status quo, and are encouraged to take on issues important to them.
- Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) – One of the only autonomous student organizations in the country. Student leaders are elected to tackle issues that are important to Berkeley students in collaboration with campus administrators. (examples – 24 hours study spaces, gender equity issues, mental health services, etc.)
- Public Service Center – Service projects are available for students who have a passion to serve. Participate in Build, where you can mentor youth in reading, Cal in the Capital where you can intern in Washington DC, or do service learning trips through Alternative Breaks.
We are proud to be the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers over any other university.