Skip to main content

ABOUT US



Bruin Belles Service Association History

The Bruin Belles Service Association was established in 1946 to serve as hostesses of the Bruin Rugby Association. Since then, the organization has evolved from representing the student body to visiting dignitaries to serve other campus organizations and work alongside service organizations within the Los Angeles area. 

We take pride in our extensive history and vast alumni network. Alumni often put on workshops and events for current members, act as personal and career mentors, and advise the Executive Board. 

Bruin Belles is recognized as being the forerunners to groups such as the USC Helenes and the Layola Marymount Belles.

What does BBSA do?

Bruin Belles Service Association is a student-run organization that emphasizes community service and women's leadership. 

There are five different aspects of BBSA: Philanthropy, Women's leadership, Fundraising, Campus Culture, and Social. We annually serve over 10,000 hours of service to Los Angeles organizations and UCLA. Bruin Belles participate in a wide range of community service projects with organizations such as SOAR (Saturday Opportunities for Adaptive Recreation), ACEing Autism, Meals on Wheels, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Scores LA, Project Angel Food, Challah for Hunger, and the Los Angeles Veterans' Hospital.

In addition, we support UCLA's athletic, performing arts, and alumni programs. The organization also sponsors its own events including speaker functions for members, a Women's Leadership Conference, and P.L.A.Y. Day.

We strive to continuously lend a hand to those in need and at the same time create a fun and warm environment for fellow UCLA students to not only become actively involved with the community but also meet many other Belles as well. 

What do the social aspects of BBSA include?

We put on many socials throughout the month from simple movie nights to adventures in LA. We have quarterly parties and Spring Formal at the end of the year. Often, long-lasting and memorable friendships form between Belles, coining the term "Belle love" that saturates our community.

What will BBSA add to my life?

BBSA will allow you to explore a different aspect of Los Angeles and help get you out of the dorms! You will meet many great UCLA girls who are just as passionate and dedicated to philanthropy and leadership (and fun) as you are. It is an excellent resumé builder and leadership experience.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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

What I Didn't Know

  What I didn't know The morning after I got the highly anticipated call that I got into Bruin Belles, I found this bell (figure 1) on my dorm door: a door belle…get it? I can still very clearly remember the few weeks surrounding this moment. I wanted it SO BADLY! When I saw the Belles tri-fold at the enormous activities fair, I knew immediately that I needed to be a part of that community. On paper, it sounded like everything I wanted: a group of likeminded passionate women who did community service together and other social events. I worked tirelessly on my application and was so nervous for my interview that I signed up for the very first slot (Monday at 8am… yikes). I got the long-awaited call late on a Friday night. Yashvi, the public relations director at the time, told me that I had gotten in, and while still on the phone I screamed “I GOT IN!” to my roommate. My heart was beating so fast. However, I think if I had known what was to come, my heart would have beat so fast it

Stepping Outside my Comfort Zone

Spring Retreat 2023 was by far one of the highlights of my BBSA experience, for reasons I never expected. Throughout my second year in Belles I served as a Social DB, and for this retreat, was tasked with the job of heading the Activities Committee. A couple months of planning and preparation later, I was wracked with anxiety about being so in charge– what if nobody had fun? What if we planned too much? Too little? What if someone gets hurt, what if I screw up as a host, what if quite literally anything negative happens? It was a very rigid, unforgiving feeling, and I was then left with the personal expectation that I was going to get there and not be able to enjoy myself because of this pressure. I was terrified of letting anyone down, especially so because this was the first weekend retreat Belles has hosted in years. If anything went awry, I felt fully unprepared to handle it, but at least I could say I had considered the worst. I tried to take solace in that semblance of control,