What is Rotaract?

Sponsored by international service organization Rotary International, Rotaract is a service club for young men and women ages 18-30.

Modeled after similar goals and standards to those of Rotary, Rotaract brings together college students and young business professionals for the purpose of humanitarian service, networking, building goodwill and promoting peace around the world. As one of the fastest-growing Rotary programs, Rotaract on the international scale includes more than 8,000 Rotaract clubs in some 155 countries.

Each individual Rotaract club is sponsored by a local Rotary club, and is generally either university- or community-based. Each chapter has its own unique personality, sometimes with special emphases and focuses dependent upon the array of members and their particular interests. Like Rotary, Rotaract clubs meet on a regular basis, and are nonpolitical, nonreligious and open to anyone interested.

Rotaractors address many of global and local issues pertinent to today's society, developing projects that promote service, build friendship and provide a forum for cultural exchange.

Why Join Rotaract?

• Service opportunities: The main focus of Rotaract is humanitarian service on all fronts--locally, nationally and internationally. UC Berkeley offers a variety of community service opportunities several times a month, many of which are local. Additionally, transportation is always arranged for members, so members can always get to events regardless of distance.
• Networking: Networking is key to any profession, so what better way to make connections than in a club that gives you direct access to Rotarians, all of whom are professionals at the top of their field, both undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of majors and fields of study, and young business professionals?
• Awards & Scholarships: Rotaract will give you the inside on Rotary-related scholarship opportunities as they come along, including those that have specific scholarships set aside for Rotaractors. These include the extremely prestigious Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, The Scholar Ship and International RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards).
• International connections: One of the key benefits of being a Rotaractor means automatic international connections. Because Rotaract (and Rotary) is so large internationally--one club in at least every continent--wherever you travel, you can have Rotarians and Rotaractors you can call on, visit and stay with, and you will always be welcomed as part of the Rotary family. Berkeley Rotaract has had visitors from several countries, including a student from Germany.
• Range of ages: What Rotaract offers that other clubs don't is a vast range of ages when it comes to members. Because Rotaractors can be from 18-30 years old, Rotaract provides you with the opportunity to talk to undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students.
• Former Interact?: Maybe you were familiar with Interact in high school. Maybe you were a part of it. In any case, Rotaract is the college version of high school, with so much more potential!
• Fun: Work aside, Rotaract is just plain fun and exciting! You get to meet new people, make friends and better the world all at the same time. Berkeley Rotaract even arranges specific "just for fun" events, like our semester socials.