The Tennis Club, the Student Services Office, and Pride were a few of the campus organizations that set up post in the South Quad on Wednesday for Panther Palooza.

Around 70 organizations took advantage of the biggest campus wide recruitment day of the year, said Dan Rolando, the student government vice president of student affairs.

“This is the largest gathering of all of the (Registered Student Organizations) on campus,” Rolando said. “It really gives the student clubs a chance to show what they are all about.”

Ave Coleman, an Eastern graduate, was recruiting students for the EIU Unity Gospel Choir even though she graduated in December 2009.

“A lot of people have signed up so far today,” Coleman said. “Usually by the end of the year we have around 20 people, but today we have already signed up 22 people so hopefully our numbers will stay strong throughout the end of the year.”

Because of the decent weather and date of the event, Rolando said this year’s Palooza was more successful than the past.

“Last year’s was a month into the semester when most fraternities, sororities and organizations have already done their recruiting and departments have started their events,” Rolando said.

Michelle Roberts, a graduate student in the Family and Consumer Sciences department, was behind the table for Colleges Against Cancer table.

“Today has gone awesome for us,” Roberts said. “We plan the Relay for Life on campus and the added members would help with the organization.”

After the event was over, Rolando handed out surveys to the organization leaders to receive feedback about the event.

“This is so we can look towards the future,” Rolando said. “We want to know if they liked having chairs or if we should get a sponsor to pass out water during the day, we just want to make the day better for next year.”

While the organizations gain a lot from the event, the students are the ones who can get the most out of the day, Rolando said.

“This day gives freshmen a chance to meet new people and see what is offered on campus, to find their place on campus,” Rolando said. “It supplements everything that was done from their debut day until now, so they can really see what Eastern and its clubs are all about.”

Kayleigh Zyskowski can be reached at 581-7942 or at [email protected].