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Welcome to Student Group Spotlight! Every month, we will feature a different student group to demonstrate the many diverse groups we have at MacEwan and how they all contribute to a vibrant, thriving community on our campus.

Meet the Filipino Barkada Club (FBC)! We sat down with four of their executives to discuss their goals, what Barkada means to them and how you can get involved.

SAMU: Hi, welcome to the SAMU Student Groups Spotlight! Let’s get started by telling me a bit about yourselves.

Georgette: Hi, I’m Georgette, the VP Internal of FBC, in my second year of the Bachelor of Science program.

Sophia: Hi, I’m Sophia. I’m the VP of FBC, majoring in political science in my second year of the Bachelor of Arts program.

Katrina: Hi, I’m Kat, the Secretary of FBC. I’m in my third year of accounting, and my minor is in legal studies of business.

Mara: Hi, I’m Mara. I am the VP of events at FBC. I’m in my fourth year of the Bachelor of Arts program, with a focus on political science.

SAMU: It’s nice to meet you all! Can you tell me what the Filipino Barkada Club is and what you do?

Katrina: We are a vibrant and inclusive social club. Our mission is to bring Filipino culture to campus and create a welcoming space where students can come together to experience the richness of Filipino culture. We aim to bring a taste of home and foster a community for our members, creating a home away from home. We welcome anyone of any culture to learn about us and join our group!

SAMU: Why did you decide to join FBC? What has been your favourite part about being a member?

Katrina: I first came to MacEwan as a transfer student. When I started here, my friends and I had different schedules, so I didn’t have anyone to hang out with on campus. I wanted to find friends and a group where I could be comfortable on campus, so when I learned that Angela, our founder and President, wanted to start a Filipino club, I jumped on board right away. I was looking for a second home and felt I could help create one here at FBC. My favourite memory with the group is from last year at our Christmas event. We did karaoke, and seeing everyone loosen up and have fun singing was enjoyable.

Sophia: I joined FBC last year.I wasn’t really looking for new friends, but I met someone from Red Deer on campus, and they encouraged me to go to a FBC meeting. It caught me by surprise that they happened to be looking for a Junior VP of events, so I joined up! Now, all the executives have become my closest friends. My favourite memory would have to be the Fiesta last year; it was a little chaotic but super fun.

Georgette: I heard about FBC from a friend who invited me to a general meeting so I could meet more people. They were also looking for a Junior VP of events, so I took that opportunity to learn and grow my creative skills. My favourite part about being a member has been making friends with everyone in the group. On Thursdays, we sometimes host “Barkada Thursday,” where we all get together, study, do karaoke, or just hang out.

Mara: I found out about FBC during the Student Groups Expo. At first, I was hesitant to join the club since I’m introverted, but my friend brought me along. I then discovered that this is a great club that feels close to home and is accepting and kind. My fondest memory would be the Fiesta event; despite being a first-year student, I was able to help pull it off, and it was exhilarating and stressful but enjoyable and fun.

SAMU: What is Barkada, and how does your team embrace its spirit?

Mara: Barkada is the Filipino term for friendship or a group of friends, and we work to foster a sense of barkada for all Filipinos here at MacEwan.

Katrina: We design our events so people can meet others, socialize, and make friends. We are very mindful of that goal and gear our events towards it.

Sophia: We embrace friendship wholeheartedly. Our team is amazing at going around campus, seeing other Filipinos and inviting them to join our group. There have been many times where we found people, got them to join our group, and they end up loving it and making a lot of friends.

Mara: Yeah, Barkada culture came from the Phillippines, and there, it’s used to describe a group of friends who do a lot of fun activities after school, and we bought that culture here through our events and meetings where people can hang out, relax and enjoy each others company.

SAMU: Wow, that is really interesting. It sounds like your team has a great spirit! Tell me about your upcoming Paskulitan event.

Mara: We are in the midst of planning, but the Paskulitan is our Christmas party for all general members! We hosted one last year and had karaoke and other games and activities; it was super fun. For this event, we bring the vibe of Christmas parties in the Philippines to SAMU. We want to give everyone a taste of what these parties are like for those who haven’t experienced them.

Georgette: I was at the party last year, and we had an activity where we made Christmas star lanterns, called Parol, and it was so much fun. We had members and random passersby join in to make lanterns with us, and it was so lovely to see people getting involved and having fun.

Katrina: Yeah, the party is a great space to relax and take a break before the crunch time for final exams. People were smiling and laughing, which made me so happy and filled my heart because that’s the goal of our club. Giving people the space to do that was amazing.

SAMU: What other kinds of events do you host? What’s been your favourite?

Katrina: We have several other events like movie nights, karaoke nights, Barkada Thursdays, Fiesta and galas.

Mara: We also hosted a pub night at the beginning of the semester, a Halloween party and a few bake sales. In January, we are hosting Fiesta; in the Philippines, it’s a big community event that anyone can participate in, and we are bringing that here. Everyone is welcome at it, regardless of whether you’re Filipino or not. We get many of our ideas for events from things we’ve experienced in the Philippines, so we will be hosting some activities based on festivals and events that happen back there. We want to give people an idea of what it’s like to live in a community like ours.

Georgette: My favourite part about our events is the games we play. Everyone gets really involved and competitive. I think it’s so sweet that people invest their time into planning and making the games fun for people to participate in and meet others.

Sophia: My favourite event was Fiesta, but my second favourite event we’ve done this year was our karaoke night. Seeing people who usually don’t talk get up, sing, and impress everyone with their amazing voices was incredible. Our members are really talented; we even had some non-members join the fun, get involved and sing Filipino songs.

SAMU: How has being involved in this Student Group shaped your university experience?

Sophia: Being so involved has been an interesting experience. I’m an executive in a few other groups, so sometimes I feel a lot of pressure, but I’ve found that it can be very rewarding. Planning events can be stressful with midterms and assignments, but once you are at the event and see everyone smiling and hanging out, it’s a feeling you can’t describe. I wouldn’t change anything about my experience, and I’d do it all again to be in this group.

Georgette: I’ve made a lot of friends through this club, and all the people in this interview are my best friends. Joining this group has been my favourite university experience; it has made university so much more bearable.

Katrina: Yeah, before I joined this group, all I would do was go to class, and afterward, I’d go home. After doing that for a while, you get sick of it, but finding this group gave me something to look forward to and really motivated me. All the executives are very ambitious, and we work to push each other and achieve the best possible outcomes. Another huge benefit I gained was time management. Learning to balance four or five classes with a job and executive duties was challenging but fulfilling, and being in a Student Group, along with all the skills you learn, looks great on a CV.

Mara: I feel very proud of myself and the experience I’ve had and created. When we are at our events and see our members enjoying it and having fun, we reflect on how we were a part of such a great event and the start of new friendships. Being in the presence of other people from our community and hanging out with them makes me feel better when I have bouts of homesickness. It’s comforting knowing I have other people around me who have gone through similar experiences.

SAMU: What would you say to someone considering joining a student group?

Sophia: Definitely join. It’s never too late. Student Groups are very accommodating and welcoming, and I really appreciate new people taking the time to check out our group.

Georgette: Go for it! You have nothing to lose, and the unexpected friendships and connections you’ll make will be well worth it.

Mara: Take advantage of feeling uncomfortable and use that as your strength. Find a club that suits your interests, and maybe it’s an interest that’s been hiding, but it’s time for it to shine!

Katrina: Yeah, there are so many clubs here, and there is definitely one that would suit you. If you find a club and you don’t feel a connection with it, that’s okay; you can keep looking, and you’ll find somewhere you can settle down and be yourself.

SAMU: That is wonderful advice. Is there anything else you want to tell students before we end?

All: Please come to Fiesta on January 24th! It’s never too late to join and be a member. Also, make sure to check us out online. We are on almost all social media platforms, so you won’t be able to escape us.

You can connect with the Filipino Barkada Club on social media through their link tree at https://linktr.ee/macuf.

Follow SAMU on social media through Instagram (@sa_macewan), Twitter (@SAMacEwan), and Facebook (Students’ Association of MacEwan University) to stay up to date on the latest events, programs, and services from your students’ association.