by Alana J. Mauger
Montgomery County Community College formally introduced its brand new chapter of Rotaract, the Rotary’s global network of young adults ages 18-30, during an officer installation and member induction ceremony on Nov. 13 at the Central Campus in Blue Bell. The chapter is sponsored by the Ambler and Blue Bell Rotary clubs and operates through the College’s Office of Student Leadership & Involvement.
The partnership began to develop last spring through a series of discussions between the Rotary clubs and MCCC’s ACE Community Service Club. Then, over the summer, student co-presidents Danielle Cole, Horsham, and Molly McPeak, Hatboro, drafted a new constitution, and ACE was re-chartered as Rotaract.
Cole, who is majoring in Education in the Early Years major, and McPeak, a Social Sciences/Psychology major, are joined by secretary Beth Holleger, East Norriston, who is majoring in Education in the Early Years, and treasurer Ashley Cottman, Philadelphia, a Liberal Studies major.
In addition to the four officers, 12 members were inducted into Rotaract: Mellissa Baggoo, Dominque Bell, Luis Fuentes, Jeremiah Garcia, Mina Ghaly, Steve Henry, Sabbir Islam, David Jordan, Brittney Richter, Angela Tammaro, Marina Wassef and Alyssa Zumpino.
Rotary club members, including Ambler’s Rotaract Chair Bruce Braunewell and Blue Bell’s President Rusty Beardsley, participated in ceremony and presented the students with Rotary flags and seed money. District Governor Frank Romano also attended the ceremony, representing the 44 Rotary clubs in District 7430.
Dr. Celeste Schwartz, MCCC’s Vice President of Information Technology and College Services and Blue Bell Rotary Club member, was instrumental in helping to connect the student and community organizations.
“This is an unbelievable opportunity for our students, who can build on the work they do in college and make a real impact in the community,” she shared. “Organizations like Rotary provide a structure that translates to what students will encounter when they graduate. It hits on the College’s goal of helping students to be prepared to work and give back to the communities in which they live.”
For their first major service project, Rotaract students will be purchasing, preparing and serving breakfast for families at the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia on Feb. 1. The club is accepting donations toward the cost of food, which needs to serve approximately 40 people.
Donations can be made in person at MCCC’s Student Leadership & Involvement offices, located in College Hall 103 at the Central Campus in Blue Bell or in South Hall 106 at the West Campus in Pottstown, or by contacting Rotaract advisor Jenna Klaus, assistant director of civic and community engagement, at jklaus@mc3.edu or 610-718-1973.
Rotaract meets every Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center 222 at the Central Campus. Meetings are simulcast to North Hall 109 at the West Campus.
Students from Montgomery County Community College’s new Rotaract chapter stand with representatives from Ambler and Blue Bell Rotary clubs during the officer installation and member induction ceremony on Nov. 13 in Blue Bell. Photo by Alana J. Mauger
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