For many Sun Devils, joining a student organization can seem like a major commitment, but for members of the German Devils at ASU, the organization offers a sense of culture, friendship and lasting community.
The student-led organization aims to promote German culture on campus. Through cultural and language nights as well as social events, the club offers members an opportunity to experience German traditions.
For president, Aiyana Porter, a senior studying journalism and mass communication from Frankfurt, Germany, it became a personal goal to rebuild the club to focus more on German culture.
"The German club consisted of maybe five members, and the only thing that they ever did was play board games once every two weeks," Porter said. "We didn't really do anything related to Germany or the culture or the language."
Porter has been the club's president since August 2024. Since then, she has worked to recruit new leadership, members and expand the cultural events for students, which she credits as one of her biggest accomplishments at ASU.
The feeling of community now defines the club. Victor Kelly, a junior studying chemical engineering and the director of events for the club, grew up in Austria. Kelly initially became involved with the organization while searching for connections after transferring schools.
"I was looking for a community of people to have on campus," Kelly said. "I came to a meeting, and our first meeting was for St Martin's Day ... I thought that was so fun, so unique, I enjoyed the people (and) I decided to come back and later on, transition into an officer position."
As the director of events, Kelly splits activities into social, language and cultural nights. Events for cultural nights include crafting lanterns, celebrating St. Martin's Day and cooking schnitzel together.
Konrad Burkmann, a German postdoctoral research scholar and club member, said he was surprised by the diversity of students drawn to the organization.
"I thought it's a meeting between Germans," Burkmann said. "There were so many people from abroad like me, but not from Germany, but from France, from Taiwan, from China, from India, like from all over the world."
Burkmann said a benefit of cultural clubs is the ability to learn about the world without leaving the United States.
Rebecca Kraft, a freshman studying economics with German family roots, said being a member of the club is special to her because it allows her to connect with her German identity. The club allows her to meet like-minded people, and she said she has met some of her best friends through it.
The organization has become a home away from home for many, and Porter hopes the growth continues well beyond her time there.
"I am leaving the organization better than it has been in years," Porter said. "I know that it will be in good hands ... it's not going anywhere now, now that the community is there."
Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, Henry Smardo, Emilio Alvarado and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at emorenog@asu.edu.
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