As graduates make their way closer and closer to the stage, many registered student organizations on campus must work harder to keep their organizations afloat without them.  

Senior political science major with international studies option Benjamin Loza played an essential role as the former president of the society of Model U.N., but he stepped down from his role to study abroad for the spring 2025 semester.  

According to the United Nations Association of the USA, “Through public speaking, critical thinking and in-depth research, the Model U.N. experience allows students to cultivate skills and enrich their global affairs knowledge.”  

As president, Loza was responsible for gathering the information the group needed for their meetings and conferences, helping organize events held on campus and assisting other executive board members to ensure the organization is working efficiently, according to the current president, sophomore history education major Eli Wilhelm.  

Starting off as the treasurer, Wilhelm made his way through the ranks, but the responsibilities of each position have become more challenging without Loza. 

“I was helping him a lot with coming up with slideshows and things to do,” Wilhelm said. “I wasn’t fully aware that he was going to be completely gone, so I kind of got thrusted into the position.”  

The Model U.N. currently has about five members, but every member is essential to the group, according to Wilhelm.  

Loza will leave a lasting impact on the Model U.N. when he graduates this May, and although it is bittersweet, Wilhelm is looking forward to the future.  

“Well, I’ll start with the bad. He’s been trying to help me even though he’s in Costa Rica with planning things and getting us to events. So, I kind of lose that support. But I think the good thing is that I’m finally getting used to it now,” Wilhelm said. 

Another RSO with low numbers but high hopes for the future is EIU Pride.  

EIU Pride is meant to be a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community. They foster a place for growth and understanding by hosting informative meetings, putting on events to bring the community together and spreading awareness on campus.  

This club is a resource for members of the LGBTQ+ community on campus, but with members like English language arts major and president Katie Gillespie projected to graduate this fall, the future of EIU Pride could be at risk.  

The thought of graduation itself is becoming more and more scary for Gillespie as she watches everyone prepare for spring commencement, but the effect it will have on the executive board is more daunting.   

“For the exec board angle of it, a lot of us are leaving and so it’s like, ‘Where are things gonna go from there?’ I’m not taking an exec board position for next year, because I can’t be here for the whole year,” Gillespie said. “How do you deal with the turnover of that? And that’s not even counting if anybody else decides just to not run for another position.”  

According to Gillespie, senior vice president AJ Worman started off as a regular member who then stepped up and took on an executive board member.  

As vice president, Worman is responsible for orchestrating events, interacting with members new and old and hosting the annual drag show.  

“I am very proud of them for how well they’ve done this year, especially being in those positions [and] being in charge of like the bigger events while doing things later on stuff in their degrees because they’re also in education majors,” said Gillespie. “So, seeing them like still put in all this effort has been lovely to watch.”  

Gillespie noted that aside from the executive board member issue, there is an issue with club retention in general on campus affecting the longevity of certain clubs.  

Despite spotty attendance, Gillespie and the other executive board members still put their all into the events and meetings they host on campus.  

“When it’s your senior year and you’re running a club, seeing people show up is absolutely amazing,” said Gillespie. “Just knowing that people notice the effort you’re putting in and take the time to make an effort and come out and build these communities and things like that. It’s very rewarding for us when we’re on exec boards.”  

Alexis Moore-Jones can be reached at 581-2812 or at admoorejones@eiu.edu.