On Thurs., Nov. 11 the Behavioral Science Club worked in the Heritage Garden restoring a Mongolian ger that was brought back from an Around-the-World trip.

Dr. Kristen Koenig, who is the faculty advisor for the Behavioral Science Club, said that being involved in the club is “an excellent way to engage the campus community with complex questions, issues and problems facing us as both individuals and as a society.” 

The specific purpose of their latest meeting was to serve the community and give back to the campus. All of the club members worked to set up a Mongolian ger, a traditional portable hut, in the Heritage Garden that would serve as another place for students to hang out. Koenig said that she thought it was a “special addition to campus.” The ger was brought back from the sixth Around-the-World trip by Dr. John Norton and the students that were involved.

Kaylee De La Motte, a senior and co-president of the Behavioral Science Club, was also present on the trip and said, “Since the pandemic, the ger has accumulated a lot of dirt and dust.” A majority of the meeting was spent cleaning out the hut and building a trench around it for water to travel in so the wood base doesn’t rot. De La Motte also explained that usually the club has a strictly academic approach, but because of the isolation that came with COVID-19, they are “more focused on building community” this year. 

Senior Hanni Rizk, who is the other co-president of the club, said that they, “had the help of faculty members Dr. Kristen Koenig, Dr. Rod Soper, Dr. Jack Schultz, and Dr. John Norton who was able to direct [them] in deconstructing and reconstructing the ger.” This provided a great opportunity for students to converse with professors who are inside and outside of the Behavioral  Sciences major. 

Both club presidents hope that they will be able to hold future club meetings in the ger, but until then they still have to put furniture and lights in it. Rizk explained that their “upcoming events will likely partner with other clubs, as well as, focus on gathering the next generation of board members.” De La Motte said, “As all five of our board members are graduating in May 2022, we hope to pass the club down to the next group of CUI students who are passionate about the behavioral sciences.”

If you are interested in joining the Behavioral Science Club or learning more about their mission contact kaylee.delamotte@eagles.cui.edu or hanni.rizk@eagles.cui.edu and find out when the next club meeting will be.

In the next Courier issue, “Let’s go Clubbing” will feature Ka Pu’uhonua. Ka Pu’uhonua is the Hawaiian term for “place of refuge” and this club strives to provide a safe space for all of Concordia’s Pacific Islander students. They work to share Hawaiian culture to all of the students and faculty through food, language and educational activities.

Tags: Heritage Garden, clubs, Behavorial Science

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