Meet Scott Higbie! He is a physics major who will be entering his fourth year in the upcoming school year. When he is not swarmed with homework and other business, Scott can be found on the course playing golf or with his friends playing a board game.
Scott will be the co-President of UVic’s own Rotaract Club in the fall. The Rotaract Club at UVic is perfect for students and young adults from Victoria who have a passion for community outreach. A typical Rotaractor can expect to be involved in “volunteer fundraisers with local Rotary clubs, volunteering organizations, and even with individuals around town” says Scott. He first became aware of the international Rotary Organization when he joined the Interact Club at his secondary school. “[This] was a great introduction into the volunteering world”, he recounts. “and it was a great experience working with the South Cowichan Rotary club to accomplish many fundraisers and projects.” Scott puts a lot of work into Rotary and cannot wait to further connect with his fellow Rotaractors once again. “It may be cheesy,” he says, “but when you see the look on people eating a meal you helped serve…it’s a great feeling.” Working as one to accomplish a shared vision is one of the main reasons Scott is enthusiastic about the Rotary organization. Knowing that you can easily talk and relate to anyone in the club is something Scott can only describe as “simply amazing”.
In the future, Scott hopes to continue his involvement with the SkepVics group. This group discusses controversial topics; events or stories that appear to lack evidence to support their claims. Scott is confident that “[b]y discussing ideals and written works in our society, we [can] gain an appreciation for… the truth”. Scott hopes that the projects Rotary has participated in this year will be revived and continued in the following year. Consistency, he believes, is essential to making one’s efforts sustainable. He wishes to make a huge impact on campus with the help of the club that he will be running. Eventually, he hopes more will know about the club and will be aware of how dependable it is. Though it may a balancing act, Scott is sure he can accomplish this goal while acing the remainder of his degree.
If you happen to catch Scott reading in his favourite study spot, the Elliot building, next semester make sure to say hello. He may tell you a pun-filled joke so bad that you’ll just have to laugh!