At Kirkwood, learning doesn’t stop when class ends. It comes to life through student experiences like Anime Club.
What started in 2023 with five students who bonded in their Intro to Programming Logic class has grown into a thriving club of 45 members from majors across campus, with more than half regularly attending twice-monthly meetings in Nielsen Hall.
“I love making arts and crafts while watching anime and having a place to hang out without worrying about classes,” said Adrian Skala, a CAD/Mechanical Engineering student.
Anime Club meetings are about more than watching movies. Members tap into their creativity, crafting shrink-plastic keychains, melted bead characters, and custom tumblers, shirts, and more using sublimation equipment they purchased through their own fundraising efforts. Maybe you even found one of the painted rocks they hid around campus!
Their initiative has earned the club campus recognition, from turning Student and Engagement Office staff into anime characters using AI — a highlight of their spring retreat — to leading a sublimation workshop at a Business and IT department retreat, gaining valuable networking and communication skills.
The club is also known for collaboration and campus community impact. From co-hosting Ramen & Relaxation days and holiday parties with e-Sports, Writing, and Board Game Clubs, to winning the Traveling Student Life Trophy for donating the most blood at a campus blood drive, Anime Club members show how involvement builds friendships and resumes.
“It’s a place where I can spend time with other students who share an interest in anime, talk, and have fun. There’s never really a dull moment — everyone brings different personalities and opinions, and that’s what makes it fun,” said Kaleb Upton, a Liberal Arts/Theatre major and the current club president.
At Kirkwood, student organizations like Anime Club turn education into experience and classmates into friends.
Want to see what Anime Club is all about? Join members for a “Create Your Own Tumbler or Wind Spinner” workshop from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in 232 Nielsen Hall. For just $15, you’ll design and create your own. Sign up at https://bit.ly/4rmdqqa.