Student Group Opportunities

The intended goal is to support student groups’ efforts to build community, promote the benefits of campus involvement, and to enhance the diversity and inclusivity of the campus community for all incoming students.

Registered student groups on the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities campus should plan their welcome event with the intended audience of incoming University of Minnesota - Twin Cities undergraduate and second-year students, graduate students, and professional students.

Student groups must be currently registered and in good standing with the Student Activities Office to submit a Student Group Welcome Event. To check your group's status, please see Gopherlink. 

Student groups are encouraged to complete the Annual Registration process  to ensure eligibility for future student group programming opportunities.

In order for a Student Group Welcome Event to be promoted to all incoming students, the event must:

• Take place between August 31, 2025 and September 12, 2025
• Be digitally accessible (if hosted virtually)
• Be on campus (if hosted in-person)
• Be free and open to all students
• Have no alcohol
• Have no fundraising
• Not exceed 4 hours long
• Additionally, student groups must provide information that demonstrates how their event aligns with the following:
  • Builds community for incoming students
  • Promotes the benefits of campus involvement
  • Enhances the diversity and inclusivity of the campus community

Groups may only host one Welcome Event, and it must be an event they are hosting themselves and not an event that is a part of another initiative (i.e., Activities Fairs, Explore U, etc.).

Groups must be currently registered and in good standing with the Student Activities Office in order to sign up to host a Welcome Event. Refer to your group’s GopherLink profile if you need clarification on your group’s status.

Groups who are not registered will need to complete registration before their Welcome Event submission will be accepted. Group submissions will not be considered until their registration is processed and updated on GopherLink by Wednesday, August 15, 2025.

Groups may co-host events, but one group must act as the primary contact for the event in the application.

No payment is required to participate in this opportunity.

No, there is no funding available to participating student groups. If groups are looking for funding options, the SUA website provides information on a variety of sources.

All approved events will be promoted to all incoming students by Student Unions and Activities (SUA) on the SUA website and by Orientation & Transition Experiences (OTE).

A food permit must be obtained for all events requesting to serve food. Student groups should reference the University’s Health & Safety Office guidelines for more information.

The students who are entering the University of Minnesota are at various points in their academic journey. For some students, this is their first time in a college or University setting. For others, they are new to the University of Minnesota, but began their academic career at another institution. 

To remain inclusive, please use the term “incoming students” to be inclusive of all first-year and transfer undergraduate, graduate, and professional student experiences.

Student groups must submit an application for their event to be considered a Welcome Event and be included in promotions to all incoming students. Groups may apply via the event submission form.

The form will begin accepting submissions on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 9:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada) and all submissions are due by Friday, August 15, 2025 at 10:00AM Central Time (US and Canada). 

Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis and student groups will receive feedback on what criteria has not been met. Groups may resubmit their applications with updates until the final deadline on Wednesday, August 23, 2025.

Groups are not guaranteed participation when they apply. Submissions will be reviewed to ensure that they meet the intended goals and purposes of this opportunity. Groups who do not meet the event criteria or the appropriate deadlines may not participate in this opportunity.

Student groups are discouraged from making significant edits to their event details after their event has been approved. However, they may request changes by reaching out to the Student Acitvities Office for approval. 

Notify the Student Activities Office at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Explore U 
Saturday, August 30, 2025
1:00PM-4:30PM at Huntington Bank Stadium

Minneapolis Fall Activities Fair 
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
11:00AM-2:00PM at Coffman Memorial Union

St. Paul Fall Activities Fair  
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
11:00AM-1:00PM at the St. Paul Student Center

Spring Activities Fair  
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
11:00AM-2:00PM in the Coffman Memorial Union Great Hall

The Activities Fairs are one-day events where registered student groups are able to table and promote themselves to new members. There are two in the Fall (Minneapolis and St. Paul locations) and one in the Spring in Minneapolis. These events are open to all UMN Twin Cities students.

Explore U is a event intended for first-year and transfer students to explore opportunities on the Twin-Cities campus. Registered student groups are able to table at this event to help promote their group and recruit new members. This event is hosted by Orientation and Transition Experiences and allows first-year and transfer students to explore both student groups on campus, as well as local businesses.

Registration for the Spring Acitvities Fair is NOW OPEN.

• The form will close when all spots are filled.
• Unconfirmed student groups may come the day of each event and can claim a table a confirmed student group did not. These will be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Any currently-registered student group (registered for the 2025-2026 academic year) in good standing with Student Unions & Activities (SUA) may sign up for a table at any of the Activities Fairs. Student group officers and members must be at the table at all times during the event.

No, Explore U and the Fall and Spring Activities Fairs are free of charge.

Why does the site say that I need to pay $500 to participate in Explore U?
You are looking at OTE's (Orientation and Transition Experience) site for vendors. These are for businesses, restaurants and organizations that are placed on the inside of Huntington Bank Stadium at Explore U. Student groups do not need to pay to sign up as a student group.

No, the Explore U and Activities Fairs are for registered student groups only.

After making a request, a confirmation email will be sent to the primary and secondary email addresses that were entered on the form. Space is limited so requesting a spot does not guarantee a space in the fairs until your group receives the confirmation email. Confirmation emails will be sent after requests are processed. This may take up to 4 weeks.

If groups have any questions before then, they may reach out to SAO for assistance. 

Please contact SAO with your student group name and student group ID number as soon as you know your group will not be able to attend.

What happens when a fair's registration is full?

Groups may choose to show up on the day of the event to try and get a table. Table availability is dependent upon how many confirmed groups do not check in by the required time. These are given to unconfimed groups on a first-come, first-seved basis. There are typically a few tables left over from confirmed group check-in, so there is still a chance your group can participate. 

How can my group try to claim a table on the day of the fair?

Unconfirmed groups may come on the day of the fair and your group may wait as early as you want, however there is no guarantee that tables will become available. There will be a specific line for unconfirmed groups that groups can wait in to try and claim a table. Once all confirmed groups have checked in, unconfirmed student groups will be accepted in the order they arrived and based on the number of remaining tables. 

At the time indicated on the confirmation email. You can arrive as early as you want and wait in line before check-in begins. Groups will then check-in with SUA staff before claiming a table.

Tables are assigned based on first-come, first-served on the day of the event. Groups must check in prior to claiming a table.

Groups that don't show by the final check-in time will lose their spot to a group that is waiting. This time will be communicated closer to the event date.

Due to space constraints, you can only bring items that fit under or behind your table. Groups typically bring tablecloths, tri-fold boards, flyers, brochures and giveaways. Due to space constraints, if you need to set anything up (ex. a large sign or banner), you may only do so behind your table, not next to it. Groups are encouraged to consider sustainability and hand out more eco-friendly materials and/or limit printed materials.

Printed material must include the group's name and contact information. Food must be pre-packaged, individually-wrapped and store-bought. Any beverages handed out must be Coca-Cola products. No fundraising activities or sales are allowed.

Following Housing & Residential Life policies, groups are not allowed to give these items away: door stops, candles & incense, decorative lighting, door-mounted dry erase boards and alcohol-related paraphernalia.

Groups must also follow all University Policy while tabling. Additional expectations will be communicated to groups on the sign up form, confirmation emails, and on the day of the event. 

At least one student member from your group must be at the table at all times. While tabling, members must stay within ten feet of the table.

At Explore U, due to space constraints, each group is limited to only four student members or officers at a time. Each group member must wear a provided name badge at all times. Advisors may not represent a group.

Contact [email protected] to express concerns about a student group, or head back to the check-in table to let staff know immediately. 

Student groups may share feedback using this form.

September 17, 2025, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm at The Toaster
This workshop is dedicated to helping student groups plan for an effective officer transition following an election of new leadership. 

October 9, 2025, from 10:30 pm to 11:45 pm at the Toaster
This workshop is dedicated to helping student groups learn fundraising strategies to fund their student group operations.

November 11, 2025, from 10:30 pm to 11:45 pm at The Toaster
This workshop is dedicated to helping student groups create and maintain a balanced budget helping them monitor all income and expenses, and preparing for any grant applications and tax obligations.

January 30, 2026, (TIME TBD) at The Toaster
This workshop is dedicated to helping student groups plan for an effective officer transition following an election of new leadership. 

There is no cost to participate in any Student Group Empowerment Series event.

No, attendees may come and leave as they are able.

Absolutely! Feel free to attend as many event dates as you want.

Yes! Student Group Services staff will be available during the event to assist with general advising. Student groups may also schedule a general advising appointment with their assigned advisor at z.umn.edu/studentgroupadvising.