For me, the “back to school” days would always bring fond memories of overly organized backpacks, Mom-approved brown bag lunches, and brand new stories about summer adventures to share with old friends. Going back to school was always more of a grand concept to me rather than an actual event – it was about all the things I hoped to accomplish that year, all the things I [i]would[/i] accomplish. Best of all was that overwhelming sense of optimism that this year was [i]my[/i] [i]year [/i]to make a difference in the world; since I was in grade school, that was all “back to school” ever meant to me.
As founder of the upcoming, brand new Givology chapter at UCLA, I’ll be the first to say that this is exactly the opportunity I’ve been seeking, and I couldn’t be any more thrilled to spearhead this new movement at my school! Suddenly the whole concept of going back to school has been tinted with a fresh sense of direction, in which our team will work towards spreading Givology’s mission as well as create different events to stimulate our community’s involvement toward this cause. Our action plan for this upcoming year includes this three-step blueprint: 1) engage 2) fundraise 3) project. Ultimately, we hope to incorporate all three of these goals year-round in creating a strong, successful platform for this chapter’s future endeavors.
To begin with, we all understand the importance of obtaining community support for our first year, so we will spend the initial months publicizing through club fairs, flyers, and most importantly through fundraisers. We will also be opening applications for cabinet members that could serve as our marketing committee, thus getting the word out more efficiently; in addition, we’ll also be reaching out to local corporations for sponsorships and advertising support. Then, the fundraising aspect will provide a definite incentive to students, since we’ll be hosting restaurant nights, bake sales, etc. Our chapter’s vice president and treasurer are fundraising veterans, so we’ll be looking forward to some exciting and creative events this upcoming year! We are also in the process of coming up with a system to reward students that participate in our cause, thus gathering a loyal following for the years to come. Finally, the money we receive will be concentrated on completing a final project that would directly provide education for the underprivileged in some shape or form. Whether that be sponsoring a child or building a new school in a third world country, our chapter’s goal is to have a direct impact on these disadvantaged children in terms of their education. Though we have not come up with an exact project to date, rest assured that we are currently sifting through different ideas to assemble the best possible project to kick off our first year!
That being said, our team is looking forward to a great year filled with charity and passion towards a cause we all believe in. I hope that one day, the “back to school” concept would mean the same to these young, hopeful children as it means to me!
10 SEP 2013