Photo Courtesy of Katie Killius

BY GUS SCHMOLL, STAFF WRITER

Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization with almost 3,000 chapters all across the world including all 50 states and 47 countries.

At Mason, their chapter is committed to inclusivity and opportunities for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. “At Best Buddies GMU our goal is to foster inclusion and offer a safe space for everyone, whether they have a disability or not.” said freshman Clare Kunschke, the Social Media Manager of Best Buddies GMU.

The club caters to Mason LIFE students according to Kunschke. Kunschke claims that Best Buddies GMU helps to create friendships for students from various walks of life.

Recently Best Buddies GMU celebrated Springfest on April 16. The RSO claimed to have struggled getting it off the ground, but it came together as a great event according to Kunschke. 

“We had so much fun! During Springfest, we had lawn games available to play, as well as a tie-dye station. Our main goal was for all of our members to tie-dye t-shirts so that we can all match when we attend the Friendship Walk in Washington DC, which is on April 29.”

During the Springfest, Best Buddies GMU was able to meet with representatives from UBU, an RSO dedicated to creating a space for neurodivergent students and Student Government. The event allowed the club to meet many prospective members.  

As of May, Best Buddies GMU club has over 100 members. “While we have over 100 members registered on Mason 360, not everyone comes to all the meetings, and that is alright! We are very structured in our meeting times and events and are flexible in how many people could attend our events. However, we would love for more people to join our community and consistently attend meetings and events, as we have a lot of fun!” said Kunschke.

Best Buddies GMU aims to host meetings every Wednesday and has multiple events throughout the rest of the year. Students who are interested can join the club on Mason360 or follow them on Instagram.