At the start of the fall semester, Marshall University’s recently established, first-ever Fun Club included roughly 20 registered members, but after tabling for just two days during the university’s Student Involvement & Organization Fair last week on the Memorial Student Center Plaza, its membership multiplied to more than 120 students.

“Our membership increased exponentially after our first days tabling,” Kane Morrone, a junior marketing and entrepreneurship student and the club’s founder, said. “I’m hoping this is just the start of something that’s going to be really, really big, and I’m excited to have so many people ready to be a part of it.”

Morrone said he decided to start the club after attempting unsuccessfully to join several other campus clubs, having been turned away by their various membership requirements and obligations.

“I tried to join a couple different clubs, but I just couldn’t find somewhere that I felt like I fit in,” he said. “I don’t think you should have to jump through hoops to be part of a club. I really didn’t like that type of structure.”

There are no requirements or obligations to become a member of Fun Club, Morrone said. Each event is voluntary, and there are no repercussions for members who choose to not attend events that do not interest them.

“Fun Club is just for having fun because that’s really what campus organizations are for,” Morrone said. “Campus clubs should make students feel good and like they are a part of something. I just took that idea and applied it to something broad—everyone likes to have fun; everyone enjoys something.”

Morrone said he plans to expand the club’s reach by looking into introducing similar organizations at other universities across the state and, if successful, across the country.

“The opportunities for this club are limitless,” he said.

To maintain its theme of inclusivity and to prevent unnecessary conflict between members, Fun Club, Morrone said, has no officially-designated leadership positions. Its only semblance being the role of junior accounting student Todd Turley, who described himself as the club’s “hype man.”

Turley said Fun Club is, “just a bunch of college kids who want to have fun and have an awesome social group—no stress, no dues, just a fun atmosphere.”

Turley said he is excited to participate in the club’s future events and to be able to experience its growth across campus.

“There are so many possibilities for this club,” he said. “I can’t wait to see how far we can take it during the rest of my schooling.”

Morrone said future club events will be planned during upcoming meetings and multiple are already in the works, including seasonal Halloween- and Christmas-themed events and a campus biking event.

“We plan to have seasonal events, including a pumpkin carving event soon and hopefully a Christmas-themed event,” Morrone said. “We also want to rent out as many Marshall bikes as we can and road-hog through campus with our Fun Club shirts on, and they’ll be almost like our version of leather jackets.”

The club’s next meeting is planned for Wednesday, Sept. 25, although a location has yet to be determined. Morrone said those interested may follow the club on social media, @FunClubMU on Twitter and @FunstaMU on Instagram, to keep up with future plans and announcements.

Douglas Harding can be contacted at [email protected].