The Buddy System, a new organization on Marshall University’s campus, has an important mission: to make campus events more accessible to all students.

“We’re an organization that helps students find friends to go to programs, games and events with,” Matthew Jordan, general member of the Buddy System, said.

The Buddy System was formally known as the Welcome Brigade, an organization which strived to help transfer students become better integrated with Marshall’s campus. The Welcome Brigade became the Buddy System when students who were not new to campus wanted to participate as well.

“I joined because I was a sophomore at Marshall, and I wasn’t involved on campus at all, but I wanted to be,” Rebecca Harrah, general member of the Buddy System, said.

Although the transformed Buddy System organization is new to campus, it is already involved in several campus activities. Buddies go to football games and attended several homecoming activities.

“We’re small, but we’re mighty,” said Morgan Conley, mental health specialist at Marshall and staff adviser for Buddy System. “We’re trying to build a network so students can connect to other students that want to go to the same events, so they can have someone to go with.”

The Buddy System can connect upperclassmen on campus with younger students, which creates great mentoring opportunities, Conley said.

The Buddy System will organize their own events at the end of the semester through a holiday party and stress reliever event called Slime and Unwind.

Conley said the Buddy System is a safe place for students to reach out and ask questions they may be too afraid to ask anyone else, and it allows students to have a network of friends that support them.

The Buddy System is trying to expand their membership, and students interested may contact them through their Facebook page, MUBuddySystem.

The Buddy System meets every Friday at 4 p.m. in Prichard Hall room 143, and all students are welcome.

“Be a buddy to somebody,” Jordan said.

LeAnna Owens can be contacted at [email protected].