September 2009 - New Generations

President's Message

AN INFORMAL CHAT WITH A FUTURE LEADER

I recently had coffee with one of the most intelligent, highly motivated, well-spoken young college students that I have had the pleasure to speak with, and mentor, in recent years, here at Penn State.

Bhakti Mehta (“Bee” to her friends) is presiding, for her second year, as President of the Penn State University Rotaract Club (http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/rotaract.).  Her affiliation with youth leadership, through Rotary, began in 2002 when, at the age of 14, Bee became involved with Interact.  (In fact, she tells me that most of the Officers serving under her are former Interact members).

These past seven years have afforded her an opportunity to hone her organizational, multi-tasking, people and leadership skills, within an academic and community environment.  Thus, it is no surprise, at least to me, that she leads one of the most diverse and successful student clubs on campus. Bee is cognizant of the fact that a good leader delegates to the future leaders in her organization, as all Rotaractors share in service, equally, to achieve club objectives.

Three of the five Centre Region Rotary Clubs – specifically, State College Sunrise, Downtown and Evening Clubs – sponsor Rotaract, on the campus of Penn State.  Each club has a representative for Rotaract.  Bee has taken the initiative to form “Board Co-Rotary Liasons”, within her club, to coordinate activities with us adults that, she  believes, …”are our role models in service…we benefit from the expertise’ and support from you…it makes us Rotaractors want to go above and beyond.” 

This remarkable young lady has a vision (“our goal is to make our club successful in fundraising as well as service.”).  This vision is not only for Rotaract as a club, in essence, representing Rotary International on campus, but for “building relationships with other student involvement groups on campus”…by…”utilizing the expertise’ of these existing student involvement clubs on campus.”  Bee states that “we (Rotaract) can fulfill our mission statement” through “building relationships with other students doing similar activities”.

Now, this, to me, is a brilliant long-range, strategic plan to perpetuate club membership and growth: in a large university such as Penn State, students get official hours documented for volunteer work.  By establishing credibility with other student groups, and the community, (that Bee has dubbed “interactive service and networking”), she leads her club (which is new to Penn State’s main campus, as a student involvement group) to fulfill Rotaract’s mission statement. She consistently does so, with strong focus and resolve.

Combine this with her position as a member of the Council of Lion Hearts (a forum for service organizations in Penn State, to discuss the needs of each student involvement group), and you have a leader whose goal is to go above and beyond academics, leading by example.  She is a role model who influences the average college student.  Indeed, each and every officer within Rotaract share her vision and leadership skills.

Rotaract, this year, under Bee’s leadership, is involved in Community service at a local assisted living home, In the past Rotaractors have assisted the Oaks in Pleasant Gap, PA; also, volunteering for the Salvation Army locally in Centre County, PA., during the holidays.  This is in addition to their efforts with other Council of Lion Hearts groups, such as doing  work with Habitat for Humanity as a form of community/environmental service.  Internationally,

Bee has spearheaded a project with Akaanksha (raising money locally for a school in India, for children with Cerebral Palsy).  This, of course, is in addition to the club’s service activities on Penn State main campus –the “ lights out” energy conservation, the “Hope for Kids” holiday party, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, the Red Cross Blood Drive, and, of course, Rotaract’s participation in Penn State’s IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon (THON, for short).

Bee asks that we visit their website http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/rotaract.  “Tweet”, if you like.  Or, to contact Bee, or any officer at Rotaract, send an old fashioned e-mail to: psurotaractclub@gmail.com.  She welcomes your feedback and suggestions.

President Ray

2009-2010 Monthly Rotary International Themes

2009  July (Induction/Organization)     August (Membership & Extension)      September (New Generations)  

October (Vocational Service)       November  (Rotary Foundation)     December (Family)

2010  January (Rotary Awareness)  February (World Understanding)    March (Literacy)

April (Magazine)    May (Year in Review)     June (Fellowship)