DePaul Club Spotlight: Emma and the Doctor Who Club
Student clubs and organizations make up a huge part of DePaul’s community. Today, we’re highlighting one of DePaul’s most unique ones, the Doctor Who Club! Our special guest Emma, president of the club, will tell you all about it. Take it away, Emma!
My name is Emma and I’m a third year Film and TV major. I’m also a massive fan of the 61-year-old British sci-fi show Doctor Who. My first DePaul Doctor Who Club meeting was in Autumn 2023. Being in an unfamiliar environment surrounded by unfamiliar people, I said hardly a word during that first meeting. Or the second. Or the third. Now, a year later, I’m the president of the club and not only do I talk during our meetings, I lead them. Having social anxiety can make club participation challenging, and I’m so personally grateful to Doctor Who Club for giving me an avenue to meet new people and participate in campus life.
My journey with Doctor Who at DePaul actually started in Spring 2023 with the First Year @broad program “England & Wales: Fifty Years of Doctor Who.” Led by Prof. Paul Booth, this course combined a focal point seminar class on Doctor Who with an eleven-day study abroad program where we visited Doctor Who related locations and events in the UK. Participating in this program was my first taste of community-based fandom for any media, let alone Doctor Who. Being with other fans in person is a deeply different experience than the kinds of online fandom that I was used to. Social media and digital communications are fleeting, but tangible, real world experiences that stick with you. During that trip, I attended my first ever fan convention, A Day At Devil’s End in Aldbourne, England. I ended up befriending a fifth Doctor cosplayer after shyly asking for a picture with him, and ultimately abandoned the class group to go dashing around the convention with him and his friend instead. I still have the polaroid that we took together. Once the class ended, I was craving another outlet for this type of fandom, so I joined DePaul Doctor Who Club.
At our club, we have just one mission: to nerd out about Doctor Who. Of course we watch the show together, but the real joy of the club comes from the passionate discussions that sprout from the viewings. With over 60 years worth of content across the history of the show, we never run out of things to talk about. From debating the quality of Torchwood to becoming obsessed with the Kandyman, we’re always finding new ways to get excited about the Whoniverse. On top of that, we host cool events throughout the year! This fall quarter we created a Jeopardy trivia night, and also collaborated with the Hook and Needle club on a knitting and crocheting event. Both events were based on suggestions from club members. Last year, we had several guest speakers come talk to us, including Doctor Who author Nev Fountain and BBC visual effects designer Mat Irvine. Being involved in planning these events is when I really feel the community coming together. I love seeing members getting excited about upcoming events, offering to help with planning and set up, and then showing up and having a great time—it’s the quintessential club experience.
The pinnacle of our events is our annual outing to Chicago TARDIS, one of the biggest and longest-running Doctor Who fan conventions in the US. This year, it runs from November 29th to December 1st. Highlights of the convention include meeting actors and talent from the show (this year, three of the Doctors are coming!) for panels, signings, and photo ops. Attendees also enjoy screenings, vendors, artists, games, and so much more. As a club, we utilize the Office of Student Involvement’s funding programs to secure hotel rooms and other necessary expenses to allow as many of our members as possible to attend the convention. Every year, we host a panel on a different topic (this year’s is about representation in Doctor Who) and this year, for the first time, we are running a DePaul Doctor Who Club booth as well! Going to Chicago TARDIS was one of my highlights of 2023 and I am so excited to watch all our new members experience it for the first time!
To see how it goes, and to keep up with our events, you can follow us on Instagram at @depauldoctor!
Emma