When I first met Michelle I was intimidated. She looked way to cool and badass for anyone to talk to. Fortunate for me I got to know her and while she was still too cool and too badass, she was also so much more than that. Michelle has a heart of gold and behind her “chronic b*tch face” as she calls it, you will find a girl who doesn’t care what anyone thinks and who cares and loves deeply for all of those in her life. You will probally see her racking up millions on Wall Street someday and giving back just as much so get to know the brilliant Mich!
The Basics
DOB: May 5, 1994. WHOOO CINCO DE MAYO!
Major: Media and Cultural Studies, Business Minor
Year: 2nd year
Hometown: San Francisco
Relationship Status: Single
Current Obsessions: The TV show Scandal, all black everything, gold hardware detailing on clothes, piercings and tattoos
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years I will have already graduated UCR with a BA in Media and Cultural Studies, concentration on communication and a BA in Business concentration on Marketing. After my undergrad work, I will have traveled to Europe for 6 months later doing some philanthropic work in South Africa. Once that is accomplished, I hope to have an internship in a media company or with a sports team. During the internship I plan to go to grad school to earn my MBA.
Who inspires you?
My parents. They raised me pretty well, I think and I am a handful. My parents were able to come to America, become citizens, and raise two children. My mom became a nurse in a hospital in SF and my dad has his own plumbing company and is an entrepreneur. They are both very successful, grateful, and giving. They do everything in their power to make my brother and me very happy. Their work ethics are admirable, and they are amazing people.
What Clubs are you currently involved with?
Katipunan, I am Sports Chair for the organization.
Can you tell us a little bit about Katipunan?
We focus on our four main aspects: Social, Academics, Community, and Culture. We use that as a foundation for our organization. Katipunan is very family based as well. We make each other feel welcomed. We even have our own big/little program; the bigs are known as Ate (older sister) or Kuya (older brother) and the little’s are known as Adings (little sibling). We promote cultural awareness while having fun.
How did you come to know of Katipunan?
I have an older brother who goes to CSU Fullerton and he is actively involved with his Filipino club over there. He brought me out to a big picnic that involved all SoCal Filipino student orgs. It’s kind of a funny story actually because I was not really fond of Filipinos because back home I was surrounded by what we called, hype beasts; they follow hyped urban trends and they all dress and act the same. However, I came to love Katipunan because the wonderful people I met there.
Is this club something close to your heart?
Yes it is close to my heart. I understand Tagalog– the main language of the Philippines– very well, though I cannot speak it fluently. I tend to respond back in English. Besides well-known Filipino traditions, I didn’t know much about my history. Through this club, I learned more about myself and my culture. More importantly, I made a home away from home here in SoCal because of this wonderful organization.
Recently you guys had some relief efforts for typhoon victims in the Philippines, How did that go? How can others get involved with relief efforts?
It went amazing! We started by just having a donation bag at our big/little reveal and Thanksgiving social, called Gobble Gobble. We raised about $200+ just from the kind hearts of our members who wanted to give back. We also collected clothing donations from members. Then we had donations offered from students and their families at Scots Fest, they were so generous! Then we planned a benefit concert and service auction in about a week where we collaborated with FIHS (Filipinos in Health Sciences). We had an amazing turnout; members both our orgs, from faculty, others orgs, and helping student came out to support. We informed attendees about the struggles in the Philippines, the severity of the typhoon, and how they needed our help. It went amazing and we raised $1000+ just that night. Actually on behalf of Katipunan and FIHS, I would like to thank everyone who came out to support! However relief efforts do not stop here. Victims of the typhoon still need our help; food, money, and clothing donations are still needed. I would advise everyone to really look into where you are donating because unfortunately some organizations are scamming people. Thanks and please keep the Philippines in your prayers!
Anything you want the people to know about the club or yourself?
I am just trying to leave the world in a better place than it was when I came in. I hope to do that by making an impact with Katipunan and developing my character within the organization. Remember you don’t need to be Filipino to join our club, so I encourage anyone and everyone to come check us out!
Listed below are some reliable sites where you can help typhoon victims
For More info check out this great article on the Huffington Post