91短视频

Following its inaugural reception and ceremonial launch last week, a club at 91短视频 (91短视频) is now poised to offer students new opportunities for service, leadership training, and making local and international connections.

The new chapter of , Rotary International鈥檚 college-campus iteration, joins more than 9,500 other clubs 鈥� with more than 291,000 members ages 18-30 in 177 countries 鈥� in 鈥渄eveloping innovative solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing challenges.鈥�

At the 91短视频 launch on Thursday, Sept. 28, club co-sponsor and 91短视频 associate director of development said that the university and Rotary were 鈥渘atural partners, as each of us is concerned with social justice, the well being of our communities both locally and abroad, and truly living into the Rotary motto, 鈥楽ervice above self.鈥欌�� Hoover is a member of the .

An early goal will be to let other students know about the club and 鈥渉ow good it is to be with such wonderful people,鈥� said student president Linda Ouedraogo. One emerging interest among the club鈥檚 first members is serving homeless people, she said.

Founding club president from Burkina Faso

Hoover described Ouedraogo as 鈥渙ne of the most tenacious and compassionate students I have ever met. She almost single-handedly brought Rotaract at 91短视频 into being. All acclamation should go to this bright, up-and-coming, future community leader.鈥�

Ouedraogo joined Rotaract in her home country of Burkina Faso after an older brother invited her to an annual three-days-long event during which free dental care was provided to more than 500 people in a rural community.

鈥淚 was only there for a day, but it was enough to impress and inspire me to get involved,鈥� she said.

With the help of Hoover and James Madison University Rotaract sponsor , Ouedraogo, a junior biology major, worked 鈥渢irelessly鈥� to 鈥渂ring Rotaract to fruition,鈥� said Hoover.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to work with you all on these good things,鈥� Ouedraogo said to those gathered for the launch, 鈥渘ot only for 91短视频, but for the Harrisonburg community, too. And hopefully someday we will hear that the Rotaract club of 91短视频 did something great in the world.鈥�

Present and past presidential support

In prepared remarks, 91短视频 president commended Rotarians for their work and welcomed the Rotaract presence on campus.

鈥淢ore than ever,鈥� she said, 鈥渙ur world, our nation, our state, our cities, and our campuses need Rotarians. We need Rotarians who believe that giving back to our communities and forming meaningful, lifelong friendships are two of the most simple and yet most profound ways that we unify, not divide, that we congregate, not segregate, that we help, and not harm, our social fabric here at home and around the globe. More than ever, we need Rotarians to help us aim high at what we can accomplish to serve our communities.鈥�

President emeritus Myron Augsburger, too, lauded the addition at 91短视频. He first joined Rotary International in 1965, when, as the college鈥檚 new leader, he wanted contact with the wider community.

鈥淯p to that point, the Mennonite community was pretty separate, so I needed contact with a broader area, and Rotary was a good way to engage that,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important for students as they are developing to move out, to associate with others. We need to be able to hear each other, or how in the world can we share what we have to offer?鈥�

Making concrete differences

At the launch, Jeremy Spilman of the Harrisonburg Massanutten Rotary Club and assistant governor for Area 3 of Rotary International District 7570, highlighted Rotary’s efforts, which range from hosting local soap box derbies to eradicating polio.聽

Also present was 30-year Rotarian Glen Kauffman, a 1982 graduate of EMU and a financial advisor at Everence. The first person he sponsored to join the Harrisonburg club was Hoover, also an 91短视频 alumnus.

鈥淚鈥檓 really impressed with what Rotary does both in our communities and around the world,鈥� Kauffman said at the launch. 鈥淧eace is one of those key things, and that fits so well with what 91短视频 does.鈥�

Having a Rotaract club on campus, he said, will allow students to 鈥渄evelop leadership skills, do service projects, and to network with local business and professional persons 鈥� and hopefully get a taste of Rotary so that when they begin their careers, they will think that it would be a good place to make connections.鈥�

JMU Rotaract sponsor Fulcher sees the club as a way for students to think beyond their campus borders and serve others.

鈥淭here鈥檚 this whole group of amazing students who just have the right passion and energy to do good,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat Rotaract does is provide channels for those students to take that passion and energy and actually make concrete differences locally in the community and internationally.鈥�