I'll bet you didn't know you could do that here!

Here at Parkland, there are a variety of clubs and organizations that students can participate in. With that in mind, it's surprising to hear students say, "We have a club for that?" Lack of knowledge about these organizations is a shame because Parkland has much to offer, so here's some information on just a couple groups that might not have been known before.One great program at Parkland, which many people are unaware of, is the Parkland Dental Hygiene Clinic. For many of those who do not have health insurance, dental coverage on their regular insurance, or tight pocketbooks, this program is a lifesaver. The clinic offers much of the same things that a normal dentist does, such as thorough oral exams, cleaning, instructions on how to clean your teeth properly, and fluoride treatments.

X-rays are also done at Parkland, but you have to have an established dentist outside of Parkland in order for the people who work in the clinic have someone to mail the film to. Also, X-rays are taken only if your dentist or a Parkland dentist authorizes it, and you can't get X-rays unless you do the whole treatment (oral exam, cleaning, etc.).

As far as appointments go, each appointment lasts up to three hours, and since this program is designed for the dental hygiene students to get practice, it might take more than one visit to get a full treatment. The cost for the clinic is $10 per semester, unless you're under 12, or an adult over the age of 62, in which case it's free of charge. Children under the age of 4 can't be treated, but other that that everyone is welcome. Make sure call in advance to make an appointment, and it might take a little while to be seen because the clinic gets pretty busy, but it's well worth the wait. All this information and more can be found at Parkland's Web site.

Another great thing that Parkland offers is a fitness center. Gym memberships can be costly, and not many people can afford to pay thirty to fifty dollars a month to work out. At Parkland, you can work out in the fitness center for only $50 dollars a semester, and if you want some credit for your transcript, you can take PEC 103 or PEC 147, which means that you would be required to exercise at the gym regularly in order to pass (which would give more of an initiative to actually exercise). Again, more information can be found at Parklands website.

The facility has a lot of equipment that is found in a normal gym, so instead of spending large amounts of money to exercise, come check out the Parkland Fitness Center instead.

Aside from health and fitness, there's also an assortment of really excellent groups at Parkland as well, one being the Alpha Phi Omega. According to their Web site, the purpose of Alpha Phi Omega is to "prepare campus and community leaders through service.[and] to develop leadership, to promote friendship and to provide service to humanity."
This is a National Service Fraternity, meaning that this program isn't unique to Parkland. There are many chapters, or groups, around the country, all of which are trying to promote awareness for volunteering, and Parkland is no different. From service projects to aiding groups like boy scouts, the Parkland extension chapter does their best to organize as many service projects as possible. Aside from doing those projects, they also organize activities outside of meetings, like game nights or Putt-Putting once or twice a month. They meet every other Tuesday in room X150, and all the other Tuesdays at noon in B129, so stop by and see what this group is about.

Another really great group is the International Students Association, or ISA for short. The ISA is one of the longest-running student organizations at Parkland. What the group does is help international and immigrant students feel more at home. American students who would like to be more knowledgeable about other cultures are also welcome to join the ISA. It's open to all students, faculty, and staff at Parkland. They meet every Thursday from noon to about 12:50 in room X224.

The ISA does a variety of activities, such as watching movies, bowling, and parties off campus, but their biggest event that they hold is the International Cultures Fair, which is held every spring in the college center at Parkland. According to Dr. Sue Kuykendall, a professor at Parkland and member of the ISA, "At the Cultures Fair, we set up country display tables, have a fashion show and cultural performances (dancing, singing, martial arts), offer mendhi (henna hand painting) and calligraphy, and sell food donated by area restaurants. All money raised at the Cultures Fair goes to Doctors Without Borders. We usually donate around $1,000 each year." Not only is the Culture fair fun, but you get to learn about other cultures as well. You can learn more information by attending a meeting, so give ISA a shot.

These are just some of the many groups that you can participate in at Parkland. To learn more about these groups and organizations at Parkland, stop by the office of Student Life to get more information. With all the variety at your disposal, it'd be impossible not to find something for everyone.

Other things you can do at Parkland:

-Buy greens and flowers from the greenhouse
-Join the equestrian team
-Have student mechanics look at your car
-Check out a robot/simulator that can "die" in the middle of a health emergency
-Visit with the Muslim Student Association
-Have a date at the Planetarium
-Start a student organization