Leadership & Student Government

Leadership & Student Government

Leadership & Student Government

You didn't come to Clarkson to sit back and observe. Golden Knights are doers — they knock big challenges down to size and use creativity to make the world a better place.

That means making our campus community better, too. Groups like the Clarkson Union Board (CUB) and the Clarkson University Student Association (CUSA) give you the chance to hone your leadership skills — and put your stamp on campus.

Clarkson Union Board

Wondering what's happening on campus? Why not plan it yourself? The Clarkson Union Board (CUB) sponsors concerts, themed bingo, movies, comedians, magicians and specialty events like casino nights all year long — and students are responsible for managing budgets, hiring the acts and promoting the events.

The CUB calendar is highlighted by SpringFest and FallFest, which typically bring national acts to campus. In the past, we've hosted musicians like Two Friends, Waka Flocka Flame, BBno$ and Yung Gravy.

About CUB

Contact Us

Take your spot at the table. Talk to us about the leadership opportunities that await you at Clarkson.

Office of Student Life

Director of Student Life: Kristen Avery 
Phone: 315-268-6680 
Email: osl@clarkson.edu

Student Government (CUSA)

As Clarkson's student government, the Clarkson University Student Association (CUSA) Senate is comprised of several elected representatives from each class and collaborates with school administrators on decisions that affect the student body.

CUSA also allocates budgets to all student clubs and organizations recognized by Clarkson. That money comes from the activity fee paid by all students. It's a big responsibility — and one that gives you valuable experience working with constituents, balancing priorities and communicating your positions.

Step Up to the Plate

You'll find opportunities to lead everywhere you look. Guide any of our 12 SPEED teams as they maintain their reputations while facing off against the nation's best. Motivate your teammates while competing in any of our club or intramural sports. Or, join any of our 200-plus clubs and organizations, all of which are completely student-run. You don't need an invitation to get involved — just ask.

Give Back, Get More

We often say that Clarkson changes people. And, there are few faster routes to driving that change than volunteering and service. We hold these values dear, and as you put your time and talent into the Potsdam community, you'll discover a new capacity to work with, listen to and empathize with others. You can host a service project within a community organization, join a service organization or participate in the annual MLK Day of Service, held every January. In short, you'll become a leader.

Explore Volunteer Opportunities

Club and Intramural Sports

Club and Intramural Sports

Club and Intramural Sports

Clarkson Students Go Hard, Even While They're at Play

For Clarkson students, collaboration and competition play off each other, fostering a mix of teamwork and strategy building as you form lifelong bonds.

If you're looking for a competitive outlet and a way to stay active and engaged, join one of our dozens of club and intramural sports. Not as intense or time-consuming as our 20 men's and women's NCAA teams, they're all organized and led by students. And, you'll get more than a workout — intramural and club sports show you how to be part of a team, a skill you'll draw on your entire life.

Contact Us

Let's play! When you're ready for a little friendly competition, we'll point you in the right direction.

Clarkson University Athletics

Phone: 315-268-6622

Club and Intramural Teams at Clarkson

+30

Club sports to choose from

Hockey
Basketball
Football
& More!

23

Intramural leagues and tournaments.

1,000

Students who participate in intramural sports, 

plus 500 club sport participants.

Learn About Our On Campus Athletic Facilities

Clarkson University's athletic facilities offer state-of-the-art spaces for training, competition, and team development — empowering Golden Knights to excel in NCAA Division III and Division I sports. The use of our facilities is open to all students, from the Munter Family Climbing Wall to the Steven J. Yanoukos '72 Fitness Center in Cheel. 

Watch the Video on Athletic Facilities

Club Sports

From traditional sports to less-common ones — bass fishing or laser tag, anyone? — many of our club sports give you a chance to go head-to-head against other colleges and universities. You'll practice regularly, but not as often as varsity athletes. Don't see a sport you like? Ask how to start a new club team.

Club sports include:

  • Baseball
  • Bass fishing
  • Cornhole
  • Crew
  • Dance
  • Equestrian
  • Field Hockey
  • Football (men's)
  • Golf
  • Hockey (men's and women's)
  • Lacrosse (men's and women's)
  • Laser tag
  • Martial arts
  • Mountain biking
  • Outing club (hiking, climbing, paddling, etc.)
  • Paintball
  • Pool and billiards
  • Racquetball
  • Rod & Gun Club (Clay Shooting Team)
  • Road cycling
  • Rugby
  • Skiing and snowboarding
  • Soccer (men's and women's)
  • Spikeball
  • Squash
  • Tennis
  • Track and field
  • Ultimate frisbee
  • Volleyball (co-ed and women's)

Take a Closer Look

Intramural Sports

Yes, you're going all-out in the lab and classroom. But, take some time for yourself in one of our intramural leagues or weekend tournaments. Intramural sports build camaraderie, sportsmanship and wellness — while giving students, faculty and staff a chance to mix it up on the field.

Leagues and tournaments:

  • 3v3 basketball
  • 5v5 basketball
  • Badminton
  • Broomball
  • Cornhole
  • EA games
  • Fantasy football
  • Flag football
  • Floor hockey
  • Golf
  • Indoor soccer
  • Kickball
  • Open hockey
  • Outdoor soccer
  • Pickleball
  • Racquetball
  • Spikeball
  • Table tennis
  • Tennis
  • Ultimate frisbee
  • Volleyball
  • Walleyball
  • Wiffleball

Club Sports

An important part of Golden Knight life is getting involved on campus. College is a chance for you to explore your interests inside the classroom, but also outside it. It’s here where you’ll create memories that last a lifetime.

Life At Clarkson

Home-Field Advantage

Skate on the famed ice of Cheel Arena, hit Whiteface Mountain's Olympic-caliber slopes or send it on the 40 acres of mountain bike trails students maintain on campus. Clarkson's club and intramural sports take advantage of our surroundings, on campus and off.

Explore the Surrounding Region

History of Men's Rugby

Ian Bennett, a Junior, dives into the history and future of the Men's Rugby team at Clarkson.

Read Blog

SPEED Teams

SPEED Teams

SPEED Teams

Competitive and Collaborative Innovation

At Clarkson University, we take a lot of pride in building a better rocket. Or a sturdier bridge, cleaner snowmobile or sleeker electric car. As part of our SPEED Teams, or Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design, you can participate in any of 13 competitive clubs that frequently take top honors in national competitions.

You don't have to be an engineer to get in on the action, either: teams need expertise in marketing, PR, accounting and other must-have skills.

Large Vehicle Project Teams Small Vehicle Project Teams Building and Construction Teams

Hands-On Experiences With SPEED Teams

There’s no better way to get hands-on engineering experience than by joining one of our 13 SPEED (Student Projects for Engineering Experience & Design) teams, which are 100% run by students.

Watch the Video

Why Participate in SPEED?

4

Clarkson's SPEED Teams have captured four national championships in the past six years.

Design, Build, Fly, SAE Clean Snowmobile, & Construction Management took home top honors.

Fact: 100% of SPEED Teams are student-run. Students manage everything from recruiting members and setting budgets to bringing designs to life. Teams average 15 to 20 members, so participants build skills in leadership, teamwork and communication.

Fact: Employers demand SPEED skills. Get real-world experience that looks great on a résumé and attests to your ability to strategize, solve problems and achieve results. And, because many teams are sponsored by companies that hire Clarkson students for internships and jobs, SPEED can give your career a boost.

1st

Our SAE Clean Snowmobile Team placed 1st overall in 2022.

Face a New Challenge

Each of our 13 SPEED Teams centers on addressing a unique challenge. Uncover a solution by applying classroom lessons to an in-depth, months-long project that pits you against some of the nation's best thinkers and doers. In the process, you collaborate with other students, exchange ideas and make friends for life.

Welcome to the Machine Shop

Great projects need great tools. Every SPEED Team member gets access to our Student Prototyping Machine Shop, where you can learn to use CNC milling machines and lathes, welding gear, water-jet cutters and more equipment. 

Explore the Machine Shop

Contact Us

Feel the need to join SPEED? Ask us more about any of our 13 teams.

SPEED Teams

Director: Robert J. Davis 
Phone: 315-268-3960 
Email: rjdavis@clarkson.edu 

Student Life

Student Life

Student Life

Choose Your Own Adventure

As a Golden Knight, there are no limits to what you can do both inside and outside the classroom. Take part in one of our more than 200 student organizations. Cheer on the home team on game day. Or simply hike, bike or kayak your way through the great outdoors.

Student Life by the Numbers

Top 200

Best Loved Colleges

according to Forbes

90%

of our undergraduates live on campus or in Potsdam, less than a mile from campus.

Over 200

Student clubs, activities and organizations

12

Fraternities and sororities 

+30

Club sports to choose from

Welcome to Clarkson!

There is more to the Clarkson University experience than which classes you take. This is also your home away from home, a tight-knit community where you will become a lifelong Golden Knight.

12

Fraternities and sororities 

on campus

+30

Club sports to choose from

Hockey
Basketball
Football
& More!

#3

National rank of Clarkson's ROTC service

According to Washington Magazine

Life on the Potsdam Campus

Our main campus offers much more than classrooms and labs — it's also a place to make friends, connect with your community and explore your interests.

At our Main Campus, you will have the Adirondacks as your backyard and the tight-knit college town of Potsdam right at your door. Whether you prefer the great outdoors or the attractions downtown, you will always find something to do.

Discover the possibilities that await after you finish hitting the books.

Clarkson is a place where opportunities are developed and found. When I asked my classmates what it meant to them, the words they shared were: inspiration, innovation, collaboration, a home away from home, friendship, passion and a network. These words are Clarkson. From the moment a student arrives at Clarkson and through their first year to graduation, these words identify what makes Clarkson special, and our experiences here are unforgettable and invaluable. They shape who we are and who we want to be.

Jefry A. Lopez Rincon '23

Clubs & Activities

Clubs & Activities

Clubs & Activities

We Work Hard, Compete Hard and Play Hard, Too

There's more to Clarkson than the classroom. Getting involved in campus activities is serious fun: not only can you make friends and discover passions you'll have for life, but you can also develop leadership skills, become a better collaborator, make professional connections and give back to the community.

You won't have to look far for things to do. There are more than 200 student-led clubs and activities to choose from, from club sports to cultural and identity-based groups to community and professional organizations.

View Clubs & Organizations

SPEED Teams

Athletes aren't the only ones competing at Clarkson. Build race cars, robots and even concrete canoes while part of our Student Projects for Engineering Experience and Design, or SPEED Teams. Join one of a dozen teams that participate in national competitions. You don't have to be an engineer to participate, either. Teams rely on students with expertise in business, accounting, public relations and more.

Find Your SPEED

An Important Part Of Golden Knight Life

There are over 250 student clubs, organizations and teams for you to check out, so you are bound to find something you like - from volunteer organizations, student government and professional societies, to intramural and club sports, Greek organizations, and hobby clubs, we’ve got it all.

We encourage students to start their own clubs and organizations, too. So if you don’t find something you love, you can get funding from our CUSA student government to become the founding member of a new club.

Hear from Our Students

First Hand Experience

Kali Soltario, a Civil Engineering sophomore, tells her experience with getting involved on campus during her second year.

Read The Blog

Athletics

You know what they say about "all work and no play." Our students take that to heart: more than two-thirds of Clarkson's student body compete in a varsity sport or participate in intramurals. Others test their strength in the campus's recreation facilities or hit the nearby trails and waterways.

NCAA Div. I and III Teams

We're home to 18 NCAA Div. III men's and women's teams, in addition to our NCAA Div. I men's and women's hockey teams. Spend one night in Cheel Arena, packed with 3,000 people as the Pep Band blares at top volume, and you'll be hooked. Of course, there's more to the game than the game itself: athletes know the bonds forged through teamwork build skills that last a lifetime.

Club and Intramural Sports

Lace up your skates, pull on your cleats or inflate your mountain bike tires: grow social bonds and engage your strategic side in our 50-plus club and intramural sports teams, including several that compete against other colleges and universities. If you're looking for something a little less intense, a dozen intermural leagues and tournaments keep the competition in-house.

Learn About Our On-Campus Athletic Facilities

Clarkson University's athletic facilities offer state-of-the-art spaces for training, competition, and team development — empowering Golden Knights to excel in NCAA Division III and Division I sports. The use of our facilities is open to all students, from the Munter Family Climbing Wall to the Steven J. Yanoukos '72 Fitness Center in Cheel.

Watch the Video on Athletic Facilities

Be a Campus Leader

Leadership is a muscle you build over time. And, student government is one of the best ways to get started. The Clarkson University Student Association (CUSA) is involved in almost all aspects of student life, playing a vital role in influencing campus policy. The Clarkson Union Board (CUB), meanwhile, sponsors concerts, comedians, films and other events.

Activities and involvement aren't just for undergraduates. As a master's or PhD candidate, get your voice heard or start up a club through the Clarkson University Graduate Student Association (CUGSA).

Fraternity and Sorority Life

For decades, fraternities and sororities at Clarkson have contributed to the leadership, scholarship, philanthropy, friendship and personal growth of our students. You'll make friends (and memories) that will last forever, but you'll also join organizations that have raised $80,000 and performed over 20,000 hours of community service since 2001. Today, Clarkson recognizes eight fraternities and four sororities.

Explore Fraternities and Sororities

Student Activities By the Numbers

1st

Our SAE Clean Snowmobile Team placed 1st overall in 2022.

200+

Clubs and organizations on campus.

1903

Year Clarkson's first fraternity was founded. Sororities followed in 1977.

On-Campus Recreation

That burn you feel? It's a good thing. Find it at either of two fitness centers, including an 8,000-square-foot space that opened in 2020. Or, our three-story climbing wall, swimming pool, indoor training facility and rec center, where you can run on an indoor track through the winter. In the spring, head to our four tennis courts or a two-mile-long outdoor rec trail that runs alongside the Raquette River.

Recreation Facilities

Off-Campus Activities

Potsdam is in the foothills of the Adirondacks — a 6-million-acre region bigger than Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon combined, and a year-round destination for hiking, camping, rock and ice climbing, paddling, skiing and more. Love the outdoors? You'll never run out of places to explore. (Need some city time? Montreal and Ottawa, Canada's capital, are an easy drive from campus.)

Best Study Break Spot!

Hear from Joshuana Korvie '28 on her favorite study break spot right next to campus!

Join Joshuana at her spot!

Contact Us

You're in for a good time. Tell us what you're into, and we'll point you in the right direction.

Phone: 315-268-6426

Office of Student Life