This year’s annual Skutt Shutdown again took place in the Skutt Student Center, as per tradition, showcasing on-campus clubs and activities for students looking to get involved in the Creighton community.

“What I’ve heard from being at Creighton for a couple of weeks, Skutt Shutdown is where you can go… and see all the different clubs and organizations that Creighton has to offer you and it’s a great way to see what you like and what interests you and get involved on campus,” said Jackie Rubalcava, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Rubalcava is not the only freshman who was excited to attend this annual organization fair.

Samantha Aschoff, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, discovered that she is interested in joining Pep Band, Blue Crew and helping with Admitted Students Day. 

“It was informative. I learned so much about the few groups I wanted to join and then I learned more about ones that I’ve never even heard of,” Ashoff said.

Nicole Methven, an alumna who now works as the Administrative Assistant in the Career Center, remembers her experience at Skutt Shutdown. 

“When I was a freshman, I was on Dance Team here, so I was already very involved, but I wanted to get more involved with the different organizations on Creighton’s campus,” Methven said. “I remember coming to Skutt Shutdown and there were so many different organizations. Creighton has so much to offer and there were so many different opportunities for a variety of different people.”

After visiting various booths, Methven decided to help with the Love Your Melon campaign, an organization that gives hats to children with cancer. 

 “I got involved with the Love Your Melon organization, which was really great and I worked with them during my internship,” Methven said. 

As a Skutt Shutdown representative for the Schlegel Center for Service and Justice, College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Jaxson Schneider was enthusiastic about getting information out to freshmen. 

“[I’m excited] to meet freshmen and to introduce them to service and justice ideas and concepts and ways to get involved with it,” Schneider said. “I think it’s something that Creighton is very much about; it’s part of our mission. A lot of students don’t know how to start doing that and our office is dedicated to helping students get involved in that area.”

Blue Crew member and College of Arts and Sciences sophomore James Garriott explained the process of getting ready for Skutt Shutdown.

“We got some of the 2016 home [athletic] schedule posters …  and we have corn hole,” Garriott said. “The [Blue Crew]pants travel with the president or VP of Blue Crew or they’re in the athletic department. So we just set up, get the whole crew here, put the pants on, and get ready to do some wild cheers and attract some people.”

While at Skutt Shutdown, Rubalcava signed up for Blue Crew and looked into the Creighton University Latin Student Association.

“I’m really interested in CULSA, which is a Hispanic/Latin group and, from my understanding, they go to South Omaha, which is predominately Hispanic, and they help in the schools by either tutoring the kids or translating for the parents at parent-teacher meetings,” Rubalcava said. 

Even though Skutt Shutdown is an event aimed at freshmen, Methven believes students from all grades can benefit from it.     

“Skutt Shutdown is just a really great way for people to get involved and meet new people and to branch outside of your already formed friend groups,” Methven said. “I think it’s a really great way, even for people who aren’t freshmen, to get involved.”