ESSO in Action
Welcome back Exonians and welcome back soon-to-be ESSOnians! I am John Ragone, Director of Communications for the E-Board, and I cannot wait to meet all the new students and, hopefully, volunteers! If you are new to Exeter, you are probably wondering what I mean by “ESSOnians” and “E-Board.” In short, every community service club at Exeter is under the umbrella of ESSO, which stands for Exeter Student Service Organization.
We ensure that all these clubs have the necessary equipment, transportation and volunteers that make their invaluable work possible. An ESSOnian is simply an Exonian who is involved with ESSO, whether it be as a volunteer, co-head or faculty adviser. The E-Board is a small collection of students who work ensure that everything concerning ESSO is in order, such as attendance to clubs, student outreach, expansion and so on. This article is a hand to you, the reader. I hope that you will join at least one of the clubs that receive a spotlight in this weekly column.
Today, I will not talk about Beach Cleanup’s incredible cookout of the century this Sunday from 1-5 p.m. meeting outside the Academy Center, but I will instead share with you the importance of this week in ESSO. Throughout the school year, ESSO does its best to keep students intrigued by the clubs and events that take place every term. We spend the year drawing students in through methods such as newsletters, Facebook pages and this very article. However, this is a very special week for ESSO. This is the week where ESSO comes to the Exonians. On Friday, we have our ESSO assembly, where the board talks to new and returning students about the rewards, challenges and lifelong lessons of ESSO. That night, we also hold ESSO Interest Night in the Academy Center’s agora. Over 70 clubs have stations there, and everyone, even faculty members, can approach a club and inquire how to join. This is a special week, because ESSO opens its arms to embrace its new members and welcome back its old.
If you worry about wandering aimlessly amongst a sea of clubs, have no fear, for ESSO is introducing an interest survey, among many other novel features of the organization this year. This survey will provide a handful of questions, which will in turn yield a handful of clubs that the user may enjoy. Usually, this survey would be available on Exeter Connect, but not today! On-Campus/Global Clubs Coordinator Jackson Parell ’18 has created for ESSO its very own website, which can be accessed at pea-esso.com! This is a great leap in ESSO’s outreach and a revolution in its accessibility. It will become easier to display news, discover surveys and learn about the ESSO’s mesh with local and global communities.
This Friday, visit our new site, take a survey and find your place among hundreds of ESSOnians. Whether you are struggling in academics, looking for a friend or having an empty weekend ahead, ESSO is here to mold your foundations and build a diverse substratum that will affect every aspect of your life as an Exonian and onward.