Rotaract President, Tiffany Panlilio
What is the Rotaract Club?
It’s the college version of the Rotary Club. It’s the oldest community service group in the US. We have over 400 clubs just in the US, Canada and the Caribbean. We have clubs all around the world. We do humanitarian service, community service, professional development. You can get contacts for internships, scholarships, and things like that as well.
Where and when does the club meet?
Thursdays 1-2pm in the Humanities Building Room 305
Why is the club important to EC?
It provides a place for students who like to make a difference. When you’re in college you think that you can’t really do anything about the world around you, but through Rotaract you can, it gives you a great feeling of friendship and a sense of value and a sense of community.
What’s an interesting experience you’ve had while in Rotaract?
Rotaract has affected my life. I’ve actually gained a group of best friends through Rotaract. It’s kind of made me more sure of what I want to do later in life, with my career. I’m trying to study alternative medicine, it kind of gives me a sense of purpose, and made me want to pursue a career where I would be help people.
What are the goals of the club?
Rotary’s motto is actually “Service over self”, for our club here, “You make the difference” is the motto. No voice is too small, no idea is too crazy, through Rotaract you could do anything. Our president had an idea about water sanitation, through the Rotorary, she actually got a sponsorship to India to build a water well over there.
Do you have any personal goals for the club?
I just want this club to continue with the success we’ve had. Our name has been out there ever since last year, but we’ve existed for a long time as a small club. I think my personal goal would be to get the club more connected, through team work, and achieve anything. Last year our theme was family, and I kind of want to continue that, it’s a great goal, because we treat each other as family, we actually get to do a lot more together. We had more inspired members who went out and did things they thought they’d never do.
Are there any upcoming events that involve the Rotaract club?
On May 10th we’re participating at the Veterans Park breast cancer walk. We’re still deciding some of the volunteer opportunities for May. In the summer, our big thing is the USCC conference, but we’re planning sometime this month to have a crispy creme sale sometime this month in the library lawn. The proceeds go to the Rotary’s fund raising goal for Heifer International. We buy animals in pairs, water buffalo, sheep, geese, chickens, as a form of sustenance, and we send them to a village in Tanzania. Our goal is $550 and we’re at $120. In a sense we’re not just giving them something for a one time use, it’s something they can use for the rest of their lives. Last year we also did a water walk, it was sponsored by Starbucks at Santa Monica, we walked from Santa Monica beach to Venice beach, because that’s how far someone would have to travel in a third world country to get water that isn’t even sanitary. It was to raise awareness about water sanitation. I think as people living in the US we take clean water for granted.
How did you get into Rotaract?
Truthfully, I had a high school friend, and I ran into him, he told me to join the club and I did. I was pretty active in AGS, I started off as their liaison, I started off in publicity and I guess people nominated me for president.
Why would EC students want to join your club?
We make every member try to feel like they belong. It’s a great diverse place to meet other people of other majors. It gives you a chance to experience things you’d probably never do in your life otherwise, open your eyes to the community, and make a difference.
What is a general club meeting like?
We go through the typical agenda, we reiterate our past events, we let the members talk about what they did, what they liked and didn’t like, and usually we have presentations about upcoming events, and organizing events. We established a carpool where we meet in front of the campus theater, and then we carpool over there. No one ever has to go alone to an event. We have updates from the board members and an ICC update. We have a finance committee, and our rotary sponsor also is there. If we have time, we also do some fun icebreakers.
