Thousands of future San José State students roamed the campus on Saturday to see what the university had to offer on Admitted Spartan Day.
The day included various activities such as campus and housing tours, workshops and open houses from different departments of the university.
Allison Abueisa, a third-year psychology transfer student, expressed her enjoyment of being able to browse around campus and see its different clubs and organizations.
“(This day) has been really good,” Abueisa said. “I feel like there’s a lot of clubs out. I’ve been meeting a lot of cool people and learning a lot about what San José State has to offer.”
The university has over 350 recognized clubs and organizations, according to a university webpage.
Abueisa said she was interested in joining a sorority next semester.
“I think I’m mainly interested in rushing next semester, so sororities definitely interest me,” Abueisa said.
One of the clubs advertising on campus on Saturday was the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) at SJSU. The club had a table set up on 7th Street, informing incoming Spartans about what the organization entails.
Yaser Osman, first-year civil engineering student and club member was picked by the club to give his pitch to the prospective students in attendance.
“I think I was mainly picked for this because I am a freshman,” Osman said. “They thought I had a better connection to reach out and talk to students. I really took initiative this year and want other freshmen to come and so far it’s been great.”
The ASCE is the nation’s oldest engineering society and comprises over 150,000 members across 177 countries, according to an SJSU webpage.
The club offers resources for future civil engineers including hands-on experience with real-world projects, workshops and professional development through networking.
Osman attended Admitted Spartan Day in 2024 and talked to the society members when they were at the event the year before, which influenced his choice to join the club.
“One year ago, I talked to one of the other club members and he really had a good pitch,” Osman said. “I can’t lie, he got me in the first half. I ended up coming when the semester started.”
The club handball team also made an appearance on Saturday, spreading information and recruiting players for the sport.
Pauly Pimentel, club president, and his team recruited both men and women, hoping to start up both teams by the beginning of the school year.
“We got a good amount of people coming over checking out the tables (and a) good amount of sign ups going on,” Pimentel said. “We’re trying to get a whole women’s team signed up over here along with our men’s team too, so – so far so good.”
The team placed third in the Division II college handball national competition in 2024, according to the team’s Instagram page.
More information about this can be found on a webpage from Team Handball News that also shows the results and scores of the other matches.
The teacher preparation graduate student also founded the club and kept it afloat until he had help from some officers.
“I’ve been president now for two years officially (and) I was the one who had to take initiative and start the club a few years ago,” Pimentel said. “For the most part, I have been doing a lot of the club organization things all by myself.”
Regarding student housing, Joe West Hall Residential Advisor Ashley Cummings was a part of a group that gave students a tour of the building while talking about the amenities the hallhas for students.
Cummings had to think creatively with the information and questions that she provided which was a new experience for her, given it was her first Admitted Spartans Day.
“For me personally it was just a little nerve wracking, because I was literally put on the spot,” Cummings said. “I could see how that could be uncomfortable for other people who are not used to speaking in front of large groups.”
Joe West Hall houses over 650 residents with amenities including access to the Campus Village B Residential Activity Center, according to an SJSU webpage.
When it comes to showcasing all that the university has available to students, Pimentel encourages students to try new things when coming to SJSU, whether it be team handball or another club or organization on campus.
“Just come try something new (and) not just with us,” Pimentel said. “There’s other club sports out there that are not your traditional sports that you might (end) up playing all your life.”
The university offers club sports including archery, rugby, powerlifting and more, according to the SJSU club sports webpage.
Osman shares this same sentiment as he also wants to see more students active regarding campus extracurricular activities.
“I’m hoping to see more student involvement,” Osman said. “I want to see more freshmen involvement (and) a lot of new people coming in.”
