Three months after the Associated Student Government allocated $10,000 from the New Student Organization Support Fund, the groups that received funding on Nov. 20 outlined plans to use the money for projects ranging from theatre productions to purchasing sporting equipment and organizing community meetups.
“The newer orgs need help, and a lot of them don’t know what funds to apply to,” Bienen and Weinberg senior and Northwestern Gymnastics Club President Lily Hoyt said.
NU Gymnastics Club practices four times a week at both the Chandler-Newberger Center and at the the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, commonly known as SPAC. Hoyt noted that, while the Chandler-Newberger Center provides equipment for the club to use, SPAC has limited equipment available — such as panel mats — for the 30 to 40 members who attend each practice.
The club requested funding for additional equipment such as foldable mats, blocks, air tracks and adjustable balance beams. Hoyt said they want safer equipment to support drills, particularly for members interested in learning skills like back handsprings and backflips.
The club received $479 from the Funding Senate. Now, the club’s only roadblock is figuring out where to store new equipment, Hoyt said.
Weinberg junior and NU Mechanical Keyboard Club President Jovy Zhoualso said he was happy with what he called a “specialized grant just for new groups” after receiving $300 from the Senate.
Zhou and his friends started the club last spring to connect students with a shared passion for building mechanical keyboards. He sought funding to purchase items for hosting a meeting where people could gather to showcase and discuss their keyboard creations.
Their first meetup, held in the spring of 2024, brought in over 48 attendees, and Zhou said he hopes to continue offering similar events. They plan to use the funding to provide boba for attendees, give out custom stickers with their logo and do keyboard giveaways.
Although Zhou found the funding sufficient, he suggested that ASG consider using a method similar to their Executive Grant, where groups don’t need to be physically present during the request process.
Medill junior and EighthDay Theatre Spring Show Director Lavender Huang, a former Daily staffer, shared a similar view, saying the process was long and “a little arbitrary.”
Huang said that during the “cut” period, when ASG senators decide which groups’ funding to reduce, some groups weren’t able to advocate for themselves. She suggested that giving groups designated times to speak up could bring more structure to the process.
“I feel like there’s not a lot of rhyme to reason in terms of what they’re cutting or who they’re giving to,” Huang said. “Some clubs got thousands of dollars on just equipment and stuff like that, while maybe smaller clubs are more in need of the funding.”
Huang expressed her gratitude for the $538.97 of funding they received. She noted that the funding would primarily go toward their upcoming Chinese adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing,” intended to be a modern twist to the Shakespearean classic in Spring Quarter.
As a Chinese theatre group on campus, Huang also emphasized how EighthDay Theatre funding will be used to make the club inclusive to all.
“Most of our funding is going toward not charging prices for the tickets, making it more accessible and easier for people who’ve never acted before or who’ve never been in theater to join our shows and connect with their Asian heritage,” Huang said.
Weinberg sophomore and NU GeoClub President Amelia Freeland also shared her thoughts after receiving $290 from the Senate.
The club had requested funds to cover transportation costs for field trip locations, such as the Chicago Field Museum and various forests and beaches, as well as food for members during the club’s workdays.
“This was a really nice way of (ASG) having a visible and accessible impact on student life and student activities,” Freeland said. “It’s a good thing, and hopefully it will be continued.”
Email: janellemella2027@u.northwestern.edu
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— ASG Senate distributes grants to new student organizations using $5,000 fund