Moorpark College has a wide variety of clubs offered to students with many interests, each serving its own purpose and also involves helping the community.
Circle K International Club at Moorpark College is a collegiate student-led, service-orientated club, part of the Kiwanis branch, that promotes service, leadership and fellowship. This club provides service projects for those who want to help the community and build a social community within each other.
President of the CKI club, second-year Moorpark College student Dylan Dang, was the secretary before becoming club president. He highlighted the personal importance of the CKI club and its vital social aspects.
“It’s more than a club, because I meet a lot of cool people, along with dedicating a lot of time [into the club],” Dang said. “It’s intrinsically social because you’re providing back to the community, and you’re involving yourself within the community and work with other club members.”
Dang explained CKI’s struggles last year, including having only four volunteering events and meetings on Zoom. He commented on the changes implemented this year that received positive outcomes for the club.
“This year we have a stacked board, and everyone was very excited,” Dang explained. “We focused on the meetings to be in person and more social. We had more activities for each meeting, food, incentify people coming and we also made the Instagram more active.”
The CKI club’s uniqueness is shown through its individualism as it aims to improve and serve its community.
The club’s advisor, Professor Diana Nguyen, a mathematics professor at Moorpark College, expressed how she always supported students at Moorpark College, believing in having a life beyond the classroom. She spoke about how amazed she was at the club’s independence.
“I thought it was a good position for me to help them in the background,” Nguyen said. “This club [is] truly amazing. They run the club themselves and they come to me when they need a signature or advice, but they are on their own as they search for places to volunteer.”
Raquel Kanalz, Moorpark College’s CKI vice president of service, felt that the club is like a family where everyone is welcome and can enjoy volunteering together. Kanalz shares the responsibility she holds within her position.
“As CKI’s vice president of service, it is my responsibility to provide the club with a variety of service opportunities like graffiti trail clean-ups, senior citizen dinners, revitalizing a bridge or even making bracelets for epilepsy awareness month,” Kanalz explained.
Kanalz explains she became a board member because she enjoyed the leadership from her former high school club and the process involved.
“Throughout high school, I was in Key Club and really enjoyed being part of that leadership,” Kanalz said. “I like having a role with planning and organizing events because I get to see the whole process and how it plays out.”
Kanalz mentioned how the club’s struggle the previous year gave her the idea of bringing new ideas to the club and incorporating fun social activities during meetings to build their members’ relationships and make new friends.
Moorpark College students interested in joining the Circle K International club can check out their Instagram for future volunteering events and meeting schedules.
