Student Organizations

Student Organizations

Get involved and create connections during your time at OCC.

The purpose of a student organization is to bring everyone together based on their interests and build relations. Student organization recognition’s purpose is to create connections, expand skills, and explore different elements of leadership development while making lifelong friends.

Black Student Union

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: The Black Student Union (BSU) engages the Oakland Community College community with events, volunteer opportunities and fellowship. We support one another and ensure that students are being heard. We use public forums to address campus, local and national issues.
Advisor: Quincy Norwood
Get Involved: Follow us on Instagram

CIS Club

Who: Any student at Oakland Community College.
What: The CIS club is a dynamic group for tech enthusiasts, offering networking opportunities, engaging guest speakers from the industry, and hands-on experience through exciting cybersecurity competitions. Join us to connect, learn, and grow your skills in the world of technology.
Advisor: Hanny Othman

Clay Guild

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What:
The Clay Guild is an organization that welcomes anyone from Oakland Community College to join! It is a social club that brings together students who like visual art. Sometimes we hangout, other times, we visit Art Museums or watch Art21 together. We participate in community engagements and attend off-site events.
Advisor:  Lindsey Dezman

Damned Spot Theatre Club

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: The Damned Spot Theatre Club provides Oakland Community College students with a space to engage in and discuss theatrical pursuits. No matter their major, all Oakland Community College students are welcome to join us to perform and share their passion for the theatrical arts while bonding with other like-minded students.
Advisor: Jennifer Little
Get Involved: Follow us on Instagram

Dental Hygienists Association

Who: Open by invitation only to students attending Oakland Community College.
What: The professional organization for dental hygienists is the ADHA. There is a state component (Michigan Dental Hygienists Association) and a local component for Oakland County. Activities include dental health presentations to local schools and community organizations. All incoming dental hygiene students are charged a membership fee of $65 a year. Students are elected to the board from the student membership. The officers include: president & treasurer (2nd year students) and vice president & secretary (1st year students).

Forensic Team

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: This speech, performance and debate team, Forensic Team, competes from September-April, travels to two or three tournaments a semester, and Oakland Community College covers the cost of judging, registration and etc. Undergraduate students can compete in one or more events (Informative Speaking, Poetry, Dramatic Interpretation, Parliamentary Debate and more), earn college credit for their work, and can even be eligible for scholarship money. See Michigan Intercollegiate Speech League (MISL) and Oakland Community College Forensics on Facebook for more information. 
Advisor: Carole Bennett | (248) 522-3692
Get Involved: Follow us on Facebook

Gen Graphics

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What:
The purpose of the OCC Graphic Design Club is to create a community of students interested in design. We offer members an opportunity to show, share, and openly exchange the new skills they learn and the new tools they acquire. Members collaborate on the creation of new projects, and they engage in critiquing designs created by fellow members. We also provide a space to learn how to manage team projects and work on assignments.
Advisor: Peter Schade
Get Involved: Follow us on Instagram

IGNITE

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: IGNITE is a national, non-partisan organization that is dedicated to building a movement of the next generation of political leaders, organizers, and policy makers. IGNITE is currently the largest young women's political organization in the country & has chapters all across the country, and now there is a new chapter at Oakland Community College.  Some events and opportunities that we will be holding include voter registration resources, civic educational and engagement, connecting with women in political power, along with professional networking and career development.
Advisor: Kimberlea Reid
Get Involved: Fill out membership form | Follow us on Instagram

International Student Club

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: We, the students of Oakland Community College are of multiethnic origin, and in order to promote international goodwill and friendship, unite to ordain and establish this constitution. Let there be understanding and respect among us; derived from our efforts as scholars, and our respective social and cultural heritage. 
Advisors: Sarah Lemelin | Jessica Lizardi
Get Involved: Follow us on Facebook| Instagram

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: We are a campus ministry that advances witnessing communities of students and faculty.  Working to transform students, renew campuses, and develop world-changers.
Advisor: Mark Hopkins

Neurodivergent Student Alliance (NDSA)

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: We are not your neuroTypical club. We have three simple rules: 1. Show up as you are 2. Be accepted as you are. 3. Have fun, as you are. No pressure, just support. Our mission is to foster inclusivity, advocate for accessibility, and empower students to thrive academically and socially. The guiding values of the NDSA are as follows: Everyone is included and we include everyone. We wish to provide better access to services and information, and collaborate with others on the topic of neurodiversity and accommodations relating to it. We seek engage in campus dialogue about neurodivergence, and through our alliance represents the struggles and hardships encountered by those who have had a challenging time while learning and functioning in society. We will accomplish this advocacy, education and engagement via workshops, presentations, hangouts, monthly “coffee talks”, and other means. The NSDA is a supportive community for those who identify as, or are allies to, individuals with a neurodivergent diagnosis (whether diagnosed clinically, through the k-12 education system, or via self or suspected diagnosis, which we support as valid).
Advisors: Jessica Lizardi | Elizabeth Green
Get Involved: Follow us on Instagram

NSLS (National Society of Leadership and Success)

Who: Students attending Oakland Community College are selected based on exemplary academic achievement and leadership potential. 
What: The NSLS is the largest and only accredited leadership honor society in the nation, with over 800 chapters and over 1.9 million members. With a flexible online curriculum, the NSLS is perfect for all students, especially those balancing full course loads with families and full-time jobs.  The NSLS aligns with our mission of teaching students skills that will last a lifetime. Throughout the program, students hone valuable, in-demand skill sets that hiring managers specifically look for, including leadership, relationship-building, goal-setting, and effective communication.
Advisors:Heidi Renton | Brenda Lowery
Get Involved: Visit NSLS page

Nursing Student Association

Who: Open by invitation only to students attending Oakland Community College.
What: The Oakland Community College Nursing Student Association (OCCNSA) is an active group within the nursing program, the college and the community. It is a chapter member of the state (Michigan Nursing Student Association) and the national (National Student Nurse Association) organizations. OCCNSA is the largest chapter in the state of Michigan and 4th in the national group. OCCNSA holds monthly meetings on the second Monday of each month with special speakers. The group is also involved in many community activities including collecting school supplies for area children, food and blanket drives for area shelters, and volunteering in the Mobile Nurse Clinic. For more information, please visit the NSA Facebook page.
Get Involved: Follow us on Facebook

OCCinema

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: OCCinema is affiliated with the art of filmmaking and the importance of celebrating it. The purpose of this organization is to produce content/films and bring together a creative community of likeminded individuals in order to foster and celebrate the passion of filmmaking.
Advisor: Jack Cronin

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society

Who: Open by invitation only to students attending Oakland Community College.
What: The path to opportunity begins with Phi Theta Kappa, the world's most prestigious honor society for two-year colleges. Becoming a member of this elite organization helps students excel in college and beyond. As a Phi Theta Kappa member, students gain access to nearly $37 million in exclusive transfer scholarships to approximately 750 four-year colleges and universities.
Advisors: Brenda Lowery | Heidi Renton | Johnna Balk
Get Involved:Visit Phi Theta Kappa page

Oakland Community College Pickleball Club (OCCPC)

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: It shall be the purpose of OCCPC: To provide an opportunity for the students of OCC to learn and play pickleball in the community and at no cost.
Advisor: Mark Hopkins

Queer Student Alliance (QSA)

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: The goal of the QSA is to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ people and allies to discuss LGBTQ+ experiences and issues, play games, socialize, and meet other LGBTQ+ people!
Advisors: Brittany Kelley | Nicole Castle-Kelly | Eric Charnesky

SIGN Club

Who: Open by invitation only to students attending Oakland Community College.
What: Support, Inspire, Grow and Network! The SIGN Club seeks to support and expand student knowledge of and experiences in American Sign Language and the Deaf community. The club holds workshops and maintains a strong presence at community events. Its members share ideas and experiences in order to grow at a professional and personal level. 
Advisor: Diana Campbell

Spanish Reconnect (SR)

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: We are a club that wants to inspire students to form and maintain natural conversation in a relaxed, informal environment without fear of judgement.  We want to help students gain confidence in their Spanish-speaking abilities and allow non-Spanish speakers of Hispanic origin a chance to reconnect with their language.  We will strive to provide a collaborative study group atmosphere where students can meet up and help each other with Spanish assignments or projects.
Advisors: Lindsey Mattson | Roxana Zuniga

Student Alliance of Helping Professionals (SAHP)

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: To serve and support the students of Oakland Community College, to enhance self-awareness, empower academic and career success, promote professional development in the mental health and helping professions, and excite community engagement in the context of a safe space for all members. We will fulfill this mission through service-based activities, encouragement of self-care, collaboration and professional networking within and outside of Oakland Community College.
Advisor: Kelli Marks
Get Involved: Follow us on Instagram

Student Government

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: Student Government exists to promote student involvement in campus activities, assist and maintain order among student organizations, represent concerns brought forth by the student body, and encourage community outreach.
When: Once a month.
Where: In person and virtual option.
Advisors: Brenda Lowery | Heidi Renton | Lloyd Crews
Get Involved: Visit Student Government page

Student Veteran Association (SVA)

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: The SVA's mission is to provide military veterans with the resources, support and advocacy needed to succeed in higher education and following graduation.
Advisor: Jeff Arnold | (248) 232-4337
Get Involved: Follow us on Facebook

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

Who: This student group is open to any student at Oakland Community College.
What: SDS is a student-lead, student-organized, grassroots organization dedicated to fighting all forms of oppression on OCC campuses and the community.  We are anti-racist, anti-war, and anti-fascist.
Advisor: Jeff Farah