Avinoam Baral is one of those people who makes UCLA the incredible place it is. The current Chief of Staff to the USAC Internal Vice President, an active member of PAC, Vice President of the Jewish Student Union and an active member of Peer Health Exchange, Avi seems to be everywhere doing just about everything. A motivational leader on campus he seems to fit it all in, while simultaneously making time for all the fun things that make college so great. So who exactly is Avi and what should you know about our current Chief of Staff?
Major: Human Biology and Society, B.S.
Hometown: Seattle, WA (although originally from Jerusalem, Israel)
Number of Siblings: 3 (They’re all called Avi-something!)
Favorite UCLA event: DANCE MARATHON!
Favorite thing to do in LA: I love the hikes around LA! Hiking is such a big part of the culture in Seattle, so I love to get out and take part in some of the cool hikes in the area.
One thing you can’t live without: Diet Dr. Pepper. I’m a huge soda addict. It’s a problem.
Fun Fact: It’s not so fun, but I’m highly allergic to dairy, which means I’ve never had Fro-yo or cheese pizzas.
If you could give one piece of advice to lower classman what would it be:
Sleep less!!! When you graduate this amazing, amazing school, you’re not going to remember the time you went to your dorm early, watched Scandal and were in bed by 11. You’re going to remember saying yes to going on random adventures with friends and doing fun, crazy, educational, meaningful stuff. (On a side note, Scandal is a great show you should all watch!)
So a lot of people know who you are because you are so active on campus, but what exactly are you involved in?
This year has involved wearing a lot of fun, different promotional t-shirts from so many different student groups. I serve as the Chief of Staff to the USAC Internal Vice President, which means I get to oversee 50 wonderful staff and 20 excited interns on programs and initiatives such as the Off Campus Living Fair, Ally Week, the first ever Spring Activities and so much more! I also serve on the University Relations Committee for the Pediatric AIDS Coalition, which puts on the annual Dance Marathon. Thirdly, I’m the Vice President of the Jewish Student Union and have the privilege of representing and advocating for my community. And on Thursdays or Fridays, I teach health workshops in underserved high schools in the Los Angeles Area through Peer Health Exchange, a national non-profit!
You are really active in USAC, have you always been interested in politics?
I first got involved in student government in high school, where I was ASB president. At UCLA, I got involved in student government my second year and have totally fallen in love with it since. I think it’d be a mistake to say I’m interested in politics though. I hate politics. I think they do more harm than good and ultimately get in the way of making this world a better place. What I am interested in is finding innovative solutions to student problems, putting on creative programming to make campus life better for all students and befriending like-minded leaders. So I guess you could say I hate politics, but I LOVE USAC!
What would your advice be for students interested in getting more involved?
Say yes! Take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves! Don’t put off getting involved until after your next math test! Follow your gut, be a good person and you will end up exactly where you’re supposed to be.
What is one thing most people don’t know about you that you wish they did?
I’m South Campus! People always assume I’m a North Campus major because I make time to get involved in student organizations, but contrary to popular belief it’s possible to toil in the halls of Young in the mornings and live at Kerckhoff at night! I just make sure to catch up on credits in the summer and keep a strict Google Calendar!