Skip to main content

Pauley Pavilion Opening

First Year Belles, Sara and Nicole at the Pauley Opening
I have only known Pauley Pavilion as a large, closed off structure that I only vaguely noticed as I walked to campus. Rushing past construction workings, attempting to avoid large bulldozers and equipment as I sped down BruinWalk with my iPod blasting, I had no even considered the purpose or history of the building. Then, in a rush of donors, bright lights, and the rolling of red carpets, I was able to witness the unveiling of the new Pauley Pavilion.
First Year Belles Sara, Andrea, & Stevie
A night of elegantly dressed donors, casually mingling with champagne, I was in wonderment of the prestige and sleekness of the Pavilion. I never would have guessed what was occurring behind that chain link fence last year as I passed by would lead to such an awe-inspiring structure. As a bruin belle representative, I welcomed guests and helped with the security and planning staff in charge. I felt privileged to stand there with my Bruin Belle nametag. Many donors attending the gala even commented on my association with Bruin Belles. Three other women stated with smile that they were once Bruin Belles when they attended UCLA. It made me feel further honored to wear the title of Bruin Belles because of the history of our organization and its lasting image as being a professional group of young women leaders united for a philanthropic purpose. With the witnessing such a historical event manifested by the main ceremony of performances and musical presentations- it made me proud to call my self a bruin and… more a Bruin Belle.

Sara Morrisset
First Year Belle


Bruin Belles in Front of the John Wooden Statue

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Finding Home

I remember going home most weekends when I started my first year at UCLA. I was overwhelmed and felt a little lost (as many freshmen do, even if nobody says so). On one of those weekends at home, I told my mom how I didn’t feel like I had a community that made UCLA feel like home. My parents are both UCLA alum, and she brought up her time in Bruin Belles. She was uncertain if the org was still around, but sure enough, we looked it up and found BBSA thriving. I immediately started going through the website and came across some Blog Posts, like the one you are reading now. After reading about the experiences of previous Belles, I decided to apply. It is crazy to think that I am now sitting here writing my testimony, hoping that it inspires you to join, too!  Bruin Belles has lived up to everything I hoped it would and more. This group is full of the most wonderful women I have ever met, and everybody is so supportive of one another. Everyone is incredibly genuine and just wants the best

Finding My Community

Coming onto campus for the first time as a sophomore was especially daunting. Similar to most people, transitioning to in-person classes and dorm life was challenging. As I attended classes and other club meetings, I felt like I might have missed out on opportunities during the online year to reach out to people and make friends. Stuck with random roommates and no close friends on campus, I felt very isolated. This wasn’t the college experience that I had imagined. But then I started attending Belles meetings and events, and things began to slowly click into place.  Bruin Belles is such a uniquely amazing community where everyone is passionate about so many different things in terms of both academics and personal interests. The Belles community inspired me then and continues to encourage me to push the boundaries of my academic and professional pursuit, to put myself out there, and to carry a positive and optimistic attitude into all my endeavors. From volunteering at the LA Times Fest

Imposter Syndrome and Finding Myself

The person I was when I stepped on campus 4 years ago is unrecognizable to me now. I came to college knowing that I wanted to be pre-med but having no friends or family following a similar path, I felt so lost in navigating my path on my own. I started college being terrified of failing. I was so naive and so desperate to succeed I was not taking care of myself. My second year was when I reached my lowest point. I was so depressed and lonely, I considered leaving  UCLA. I did not feel smart enough to be there, I didn’t feel likable enough because I didn’t really have friends. Joining Belles in my junior year was a big part of completely transforming my UCLA experience. Belles was the first time I felt completely embraced by a group of people. It was the first space in which I felt like everyone truly wanted the best for each other. The people and the opportunity to help others were exactly what my heart needed at that time in my life. Service is something that is so incredibly importan