New Opportunities, New Friendships

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 given me the opportunity to not only learn how to plan and host an event but also a chance to meet new people!

Giuliana Battaglini
Distinguished Belle
Second Year Bruin Belle

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Enacting Greater Change in Healthcare

From my first day in Belles, I was in awe of the interdisciplinary outlook Belles had in their fields of interests. One Belle was passionate about combining their love for engineering and Disney, prompting them to become a Disney Imagineer. Another Belle advocated to protect the environment while also using her designing skills to create sustainable products, like bamboo utensils, for members to use. These unique interests and diverse ideas challenged me to find what I was truly passionate about and understand how I can incorporate it into my larger goal of being a respected and compassionate health care professional. Belles has always presented a wide array of events catering to every individual’s interests. I found joy in attending our scrapbooking socials and virtual Zumba events where I felt comforted and supported in a space to explore my artistic side. By finding creative mediums to express myself with those around me, I found that I was able to connect with my fellow Belles,

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Winter quarter is one of my favorite times in Belles because it means Winter Retreat - my favorite Belles event - and, thus, getting or adding to your Belles family. Coming to UCLA from Houston, Texas, I knew absolutely no one when I moved here. At such a big school, it was a truly intimidating and I constantly wondered how I would find my home here. At yet, within a few weeks at UCLA during my first year, Bruin Belles gave me that home. I immediately felt accepted, and all of the Belles events fulfilled my search to participate in meaningful and exciting activities. However, when I got my Belles family winter quarter of my first year, that changed everything for me. Not only did I have this amazing organization to help me find my place at UCLA, I now had a three awesome women who were invested in me and who were there to specifically support me. And, it wasn’t just one way - I was there to support them as we chose to go through the ups and downs of college together. My Belles fa

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This year has been rough! When we're living in a world where it can be scary to go outside and to interact with other humans, it's hard to make and maintain relationships. On top of that fear, it feels like almost every aspect of our lives have changed. Yet the warmth and the love of Belles has remained a constant in my life. I can still feel the impact of Belles through the sweet messages, check-ins, weekly zoom meetings, and coffee chats because Belles has created such an i ncredible network of individuals! It’s almost as good as watching the sunset after Monday Meetings outside of Royce. I’ve found myself spending a lot of time thinking of the things I will be able to do once the pandemic is over once life returns to “normal”: when I can give my friends hugs, when I can see my grandparents, when I can travel to a new city, when I can study in a library (never thought I’d miss doing that!). But Belles has managed to find a way to continue offering such incredible ev

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