Bruin Belles Service Association: Blog

Spring has now sprung, which means… Dance Marathon is right around the corner!!! Without a doubt, Dance Marathon has been one of the defining events of my time at UCLA.   Nothing beats a weekend spent dancing for 26 hours straight with the best of friends all while rallying in support for such an important cause. Although difficult to stay on your feet (and to stay awake!) through the weekend, it’s impossible to lose motivation even for a second when you’re an integral component to taking a stand against Pediatric HIV/AIDS. It’s seemingly such a small act in comparison to the bigger picture, but everyone’s involvement and effort makes a monumental impact. While a commitment to participating in the entire marathon may not be feasible, EVERYONE should sign up to morale!! Honestly, there is nothing better than seeing Belles’ bright, beautiful faces to reenergize you in the wee hours of the night, and when they come bearing popsicles and snacks it’s even better! Seriously...

As the Distinguished Belle in the Philanthropy office, I had the  opportunity to organize a philanthropy event. The other Distinguished  Belle in the Philanthropy office, Katie, and I decided to host our  event at the Westwood Plaza Retirement Residence. About 10 Belles  joined us at the home and we decorated picture frames with the residents.  It was so fulfilling to see the happiness on the  residents' faces as we talked with them. Several of the residents were  UCLA grads or had children/grandchildren that attended UCLA! My  favorite moment of the event occurred when a resident wanted to join  the event just as we were ending. Since there was not enough time for her to decorate her own frame, I offered to give her the frame I  decorated for myself. The joy on her face when she received my frame  was a look I will never forget. She was so appreciative and absolutely  loved my frame. I am so thankful that Bruin Belles has give...

Ok, I’ll admit it: I was always too nervous to sign-up for SOAR when it was a wheelchair basketball day. SOAR is one of my personal Belle philanthropy favorites, and has been since my first year in Belles (it is now my fourth year in Belles). We basically get to have fun with kids who have autism, cognitive impairments or muscular dystrophy as they get their “Saturday workout on” in everything from martial arts to rock climbing. It is honestly the best way to begin a Saturday, as it always adds gratefulness, humility, beauty and so much laughter to my day. But back to wheelchair basketball. Yes, I was nervous when I found out that this particular Saturday, we would be playing wheelchair basketball. What if I just could not roll in a wheelchair, what if I fell off? All of these crazy doubts kept filling my head! Well, someone once said that the only way to conquer your fear is to face it, and so I strapped myself into the wheelchair and tried to push. And boy, was it tough work! The amo...

As I write this entry on the eve of International Women’s Day, it seems only fitting to reflect upon and celebrate the monumental morning that was the 2015 Women’s Leadership Conference “Momentum!” Through my years of involvement with this organization, the Women’s Leadership Conference remains my very favorite Belle event. What beats an empowering, motivational morning engaging in intellectual discussions and surrounding oneself with some of the strongest, brightest, inspiring young leaders around? With the events and speakers from last year’s conference still resonating within me, I was eager to see what Angela and her phenomenal committee had planned for this year’s conference. With my eagerness for the conference bubbling over, I was even more ecstatic to bring my sister and her best friend along this time! Of course they’ve heard my incessant bragging about Bruin Belles and all its glory time and time again, and I was overjoyed to share with them our organization’s goals ...

Imagine delicious BBQ food, a mechanical bull, the biggest cotton candy you've ever seen, and about 25 of your friends. This is what Bruin Belles Winter Party was like when we had dinner at Saddle Ranch in West Hollywood. Each quarter, the Social Director and Distinguished Belles in the Social office organize an exciting dinner party for Belles. This year, winter party took place on a Thursday evening which was the perfect way to break up the monotony of the school week. I really enjoyed laughing and eating with some of my best friends. Although I didn't ride the mechanical bull, it was fun to watch others try to stay on the bull as long as possible! In addition to the fun atmosphere, the food was delicious. Just look how big the cotton candy was! I love getting the opportunity to spend quality time with my Belles and make memories that will last a lifetime. Giuliana Battaglini Distinguished Belle Second Year Bruin Be...

For the last four years, Monday Bruin Belles meetings have been a weekly joy. In the fall I began an internship at a non-profit and while I was initially so sad to have to miss Monday meetings, my experiences at the NCJW strengthened my passion for BBSA and allowed me to bring our mission of women’s leadership, service, and professionalism to life. Bruin Belles heavily emphasizes the importance of being a professional young lady however I didn’t realize exactly how much the lessons learned from BBSA would influence my workplace conduct. Bruin Belles taught me so many crucial skills that allowed me to succeed in my place of work. I was able to utilize so much from my time with Bruin Belles; everything from communication, work ethic, and business attire!  I used the service-oriented way of thinking that Belles helped foster to work on empowerment programs for underserved women and children. I was able to use the skills obtained from working on the Bruin Belles Women’s Leadership Conf...