Campus Highlight: McAC

At the beginning of my first-year Barnard, I was eager to become involved with clubs on campus, but I often felt intimidated by going to meetings alone. I attended club fairs and looked at flyers and emails, hoping to find something interesting. With over 500 different organizations to choose from, I was confident that I would find something I’d be interested in and within a few days I came across an email from the McIntosh Activities Council (McAC). 

After reading the email, I learned that McAC is a programming board that plans many of Barnard’s traditions, such as the Big Sub, Midnight Breakfast and Spirit Week. I was immediately drawn to the idea that I could be a part of the process that created traditions at Barnard. The committee that I was most interested in, the Action Committee, was involved in planning programs that focus on community service and volunteer events for students. After reading the email, I applied and soon received the news that I was accepted onto the council as a part of the Action Committee. 

Going into McAC’s orientation, I was nervous and unsure of what to expect, but after walking into the auditorium, the warm welcomes that followed helped to ease my anxieties. I was immediately brought into a community of women who were excited to see both familiar and new faces. Each member of my committee introduced themselves, and I remember bonding with others over the places we’ve lived or classes we’re taking. As someone who had only been at Barnard for less than a month, McAC quickly became a community for me. While planning events, I was introduced to people in other years and exposed me to many opportunities that I am so grateful for.  I began to connect much more to  Barnard as a school and was inspired to find new ways to bring the community to come together. 

I was always excited to attend our committee meetings, not only to hear the new ideas that people had but also to get updated about everyone’s lives. Every week, there would be new, exciting stories that we would all get to hear and laugh about. For an hour on Monday nights, I would be able to escape from the stress of class and catch up with my committee. This organization led to many great leadership opportunities and activities that I would never have been a part of otherwise, but even greater than that, I was able to learn from the people around me. I took advantage of the upperclassmen by asking them questions about different professors and advice on classes to take. I began to participate in more activities and was inspired to think about unique ways that I could positively affect my community. This activity that I thought would only affect an hour of time each week slowly became a large part of my first-year experience. 

-Chloe Siao
Chloe is a first-year at Barnard studying Economics and Computer Science. She was born in Hong Kong and currently lives in Bergen County, New Jersey. Some of Chloe’s favorite things to do in the city are going to concerts, trying out new restaurants, and exploring new thrift shops! Aside from being a BSAR, on campus, Chloe is also a part of McAC, the activities council at Barnard, and Alpha Chi Omega, a sorority at Columbia.