It was Club Rush Week in my first semester, I was walking swiftly to class (late as usual), when I noticed Jennifer, a classmate from high school, out of the corner of my eye. I was quite surprised to find someone I knew at the U of L. We talked for a few minutes, caught up on life, then she invited me to join Rotaract. I had never heard of it before, so I was half-interested to hear more about it. She told me, “There are lots of pretty girls in it!” I guess she was right because I met my wife in Rotaract. She also told me about the volunteer work, social events, and the professional development they do. I thought to myself, “Hey, why not try it once?”
Best decision ever!
I’m so glad I decided to try it, just once, I’ve grown so much as a person because of it. I’ve found my voice, I’m less afraid of public speaking, I’ve developed new people skills, I’ve learned what matters most to me is respect for human rights, and I’ve found new ways of using my passions to make a positive impact on the world.
I did a couple co-op work terms for BlackBerry in Waterloo, Ontario, in 2010 where I found the University of Waterloo Rotaract Club; then did a few co-op work terms for Enbridge in Calgary in 2011-2012 where I found the Rotaract Club of Calgary; each time I’ve moved to a new city, Rotaract has been there to introduce me to awesome people, while maintaining my passion for volunteering.
I love Rotaract and Rotary International for countless reasons, but they all lead back to the people you meet, work with, build friendships with, learn from, teach, and cherish. I’ve had the opportunity to work on countless amazing projects, which are amazing because of the people involved in delivering the projects and the people who benefit from the projects. Over the years, my Rotary favourites have been:
- Overseeing our SIFAIS fundraising project
- Fundraising for the Costa Rica Microcredit project
- Helping with Lobsterfest every summer
- Leading Social Media Workshops
- Leading the Youth Exchange component of the 2013 Peace Park Assembly
- Serving as the Technology Chair for the Lethbridge Dragon Boat Festival
- Helping with District Conferences
- Attending the All Alberta Rotaract Forum three years in a row
- Attending three Rotary International Conventions in the UK, Montreal, and Bangkok
At the University of Lethbridge, I received a B.Sc. Computer Science and a B.Mgt. Marketing, with a minor in Corporate Social Responsibility. My aspiration is to create and use technology that makes being human, more human.
I served the club as VP External Affairs 2012-2013 and as President 2013-2014.