The Marine Biology Club at the University of North Florida offers opportunities for students to learn more about marine life, engage with their peers and attend field trips.

The club meets once a month, where they host meetings and debates, play games, have guest speakers and coordinate field trips, like beach cleanups and aquarium visits. The club is also an opportunity for students to engage with other peers while learning about marine life. 

Alex Warren, president of the Marine Biology Club, is currently utilizing the summer term to plan for the upcoming school year. 

Warren has been a member of the Marine Biology club for about a year and has been president for a month. The Marine Biology Club is not just for biology majors, “anyone can join,” Warren said.

While this club revolves around marine biology, it is also an opportunity to engage with other students and build relationships. “It’s a great way to make friends,” Warren said.

According to the Marine Biology Club’s constitution, the purpose of the Marine Biology Club is to connect UNF students to UNF faculty and staff, community resources, and individuals with similar interests in marine biological sciences by developing engaging educational activities and providing awareness of service and educational opportunities. 

On average, there are approximately 10 students who join the Marine Biology Club each semester, with half of the members being Biology majors, Warren said. 

The coastal and marine biology track at UNF is designed to provide a broad background in biology with a special emphasis on the biology of coastal organisms and ecosystems, according to the UNF website. These students have the opportunity to take courses in oceanography, marine botany, coastal invertebrate biology, ichthyology, shark biology, marine mammology, and more.

Each Spring semester, members of the  Marine Biology Club who have an interest in a position of leadership, including club president, vice president or treasurer, must contact the current president with their statement of interest. Then, at the last General Body meeting of the semester, the candidates for the leadership positions will give a speech, and then the winner will be determined by the votes of the club members, Warren said.

Clubs on campus

UNF has over 300 different groups for fall and spring semesters on the Perch Portal, with student government, student organizations and Greek life.

On the Perch Portal, students are able to register their group, browse different groups and message the club presidents and group officers if they are interested in joining a registered student organization.

To start a recognized club, the club must have a unique purpose, the advisor must be a full-time faculty or staff member at UNF, there must be a president and treasurer as group officers, must have a constitution and there must be six UNF students, including the president and treasurer, according to the Perch Portal.

For the fall 2026 semester, students can register their groups starting August 17- September 8, and for the spring 2027 semester, students can register their groups from January 6-January 28. The registration form can be found on the Perch Portal; however, the current form is not valid for the upcoming semesters.

More information about how to register or re-register a student organization can be found on the Student Government website.

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