My UNICEF Club Experience
When college starts, it’s often very easy for first years to try to get involved with as many clubs as possible. I thought that would be me but I quickly came to realize that with a schedule as busy as mine, that I should invest myself in one or two specific initiatives. So, while scrolling through the tens of emails I received every day as a first year, I saw a post about a secretary position for the UNICEF club. So I emailed my resume to the president of the club and set up an interview. I was still wary of wether or not my hectic schedule as a student athlete would allow me to commit to this position, but the executive board assured me that it would work and they brought me on to the team.
“UNICEF Executive Team 2019-2020” by Emma Olson is used under an All Rights Reserved License.
Within a few weeks I was already involved with planning events, registering and reserving our rooms and props, and engaging with the focuses of that year. Eventually I was promoted to treasurer, which is the position I hold today. But why UNICEF? Was it just some random coincidence and opportunity to be involved in an extracurricular? I might have initially told myself that but I also knew deep down that I wanted my work to have a greater purpose.
Unicef is a well known organization throughout the world. Their mission is to support families, but especially mothers and children who seek a better life. They have programs that work to implement safe water usage, promote better sanitation, and equal access to water sources. They have been involved with the migrant crisis, setting up tents along the Mexican/US border to feed incoming migrants, offer clean clothes, and provide whatever medical help they can. There is a vast scope to the work that UNICEF does and as a member of this club, I have only grown even fonder of their incredible mission. As a future nurse, it is my hope to be working closely with children of different backgrounds, languages, stories, and perspectives. Staying involved with this program has further strengthened that goal and it has reminded me of the vital importance to put the lives of children across the globe, first and foremost.
In the spring semester of my freshman year, March 2019, we headed on a trip to Washington D.C for the annual national UNICEF conference held for high school and college clubs. It was here that I felt whole-heartedly inspired. We heard a speech from US National Gymnast and Olympic Medalist, Laurie Hernandez, who spoke about her personal experience with UNICEF and the continued partnership they have. We attended breakout rooms that discussed issues from club membership and participation, to leadership and global awareness and how those things should be reflected in a UNICEF club. It was an experience that left us feeling excited, inspired, and most of all eager to continue educating our peers and community about the important work that UNICEF does.
As if that wasn’t good enough, the people I got to work with, also became some of my very best friends. They have been sources of support, but they have also encouraged me to rise to the challenges, and think creatively about what to do in an unforeseen circumstance. We have organized water walks, game nights, cookie decorating for kids, and social media campaigns that enable us to build partnerships with those around us. I am so grateful for all that it has brought into my life- greater awareness, more compassion, and the motivation to continue giving my time and energy to the things that really matter to me.
