There are more than 170
student clubs and organizations, ranging from academic and athletic clubs, music, drama, and dance to publications, media, religious and service groups to competitive speaking teams. Other activities include: the Colgate Activities Board (CAB), Student Government Association (SGA), comedy nights, DJs at The Palace, open mic nights, student performers at the Barge Canal Coffee Company,
a cappella concerts, game nights, hypnotists, World Expo, Winterfest, cultural and charity banquets, Dancefest, the Nutcracker, and numerous plays and musicals. Within the past few years, the musical groups performing on campus include: Spring Party Weekend with the Roots and State Radio, Girl Talk, the Sierra Leone Refugee All-Stars, Matisyahu, RJD2, and Soulive. Recent speakers on campus include: General Wesley Clark, Robert Townsend, B.D. Wong, Rigoberta Menchu, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Sherman Alexi, Danny Glover, Felix Justice, Stacey Ann Chin, Nikki Giovanni, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Ann Coulter, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, and Andrew Sullivan.
The Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE) is Colgate's center for public service, citizenship, and community building. Housed in East Hall, the COVE is a hub where over 800 students become involved with 30+ community-based service teams, alternative break trips, social change-oriented career counseling, and programming, internships for the common good, residentially-based community projects, and service learning courses.