The Union is not just a building and facilities that house all these organizations, but the Union truly exists within in the student’s interests and passions that form the lifeblood of campus. Let me move beyond the descriptions for a bit, because they do not tell the entire story. A Rensselaer education is not about what is required, but what is possible. It is not just about the information and knowledge you acquire from classes, but how far you can extend, and apply them, to your life. It is taking your physics lectures and exploring them further with the Astrophysical Society, or taking your first circuit that you made in Electronic Instrumentation and tinkering with it in the Electronics Club Laboratory. It is about taking your vigor for life beyond the classroom and on to the athletic fields. You see, the Union does not only compliment the academic experience, it completes it.

You may ask yourself, why? Why take the extra effort, push myself further, or pull some of my time away from my studies? Why can’t I simply concentrate on getting good grades? Quite simply, those who have gone on to greater things were some of the most involved students during their undergraduate years. We are all aware of Rensselaer’s prowess in innovation and leadership among almost everything that matters in our lives; from buildings to bridges, e-mail to the television, and the depths of space. As students, quite often we have access to these global leaders. The questions I have always asked them has been: “What made your undergraduate experience so different that it prepared you to go on and accomplish such great feats? Where did you obtain such tremendous leadership, intellectual curiosity, and drive to go beyond what is known and look further than what exists?” Well, I came to find out that they were editors of The Poly, resident directors, founders of new clubs and programs, leaders among political parties, extremely active in co-curricular programs who always extended what was given further, and were outright leaders on campus.

As current students, we must find our passion, pursue it, and it will lead us to our own greatness and personal fulfillment. So join a club of your interest, compete in athletics, look beyond yourself and serve the greater good in the community, express yourself in the arts, and just get involved. If you can dream it, together through the Union, we can build it. Three years ago RPI-TV was simply a concept brought to the board by several students. Today it has over $30,000 worth of equipment, as well as professional broadcasts of athletic competitions, Institute events, and even their own programming.