Student organizations, campus departments, and local businesses introduced themselves to thousands of Illinois State students at this year’s Festival ISU on Thursday.

One of Illinois State’s most popular traditions, Festival ISU is the annual campus and community showcase that takes over the Quad at the start of each fall semester.

This year’s Festival ISU, overseen by University Program Board (UPB), was a huge success. Leaders from many of Illinois State’s 350+ registered student organizations made their pitch, promising new members the opportunity to explore their interests, enhance their academic experience, and hone leadership skills.

The STATEside crew asked several Redbirds at Festival ISU how student involvement has improved their Illinois State experience. Here’s what they had to say:

To learn more about student organizations at Illinois State, visit Student Activities and Involvement in the Dean of Students Office.

Bob Tomaski can be reached at rdtomas@IllinoisState.edu.