Welcome to Student Group Spotlight! Every month, we will feature a different student group to demonstrate the many diverse groups we have at MacEwan and how they all contribute to a vibrant, thriving community on our campus.
Meet MacEwan Circle K International (CKI)! We sat down with three of their members to discuss what CKI is, how they are working to support their communities and their upcoming prom night event in the Lookout!
SAMU: Welcome to the Student Group Spotlight. Let’s get started by telling me about yourselves!
Sheryn: Hi, my name is Sheryn Juan, and I’m starting my third year at MacEwan in the Bachelor of Science program and I’m the Secretary of CKI.
Ashley: Hi, my name is Ashley Serunjogi, and I’m the VP of Service at CKI. I’m in my third year in the Bachelor of Science program, majoring in Chemistry and minoring in Biology.
Jencel: Hi, I’m Jencel Angeline Diaz. I’m in my third year of a Bachelor of Science, majoring in biological sciences and minoring in psychology. I am the President of the MacEwan CKI club.
SAMU: Nice to meet you all! Can you explain what the MacEwan Circle K International Club is and what you do?
Sheryn: MacEwan CKI is the Collegiate level of Kiwanis International, a volunteer organization dedicated to giving back to communities and providing unique service, leadership, and fellowship opportunities to students. We provide the space for students to learn new skills and grow their social network.
Jencel: We focus on helping people improve their lives. Among our biggest highlights is CKI’s partnership with the UNICEF USA brick-by-brick project. In this project, we raise and donate funds to UNICEF who uses the donation to provide supplies for children in need and to support their other projects to uplift children. Our mission is to develop college and university students into a global network of responsible citizens and leaders with a lifelong commitment to service to enrich the world.
SAMU: Why did you decide to join the CKI Club? What is your favourite part about being a member?
Jencel: I joined to make friends. I found it hard living in residence with my family being two hours away, so I wanted to join this club to find a sense of fulfillment and community. My favourite part about being a member is chatting with everyone! I love talking with people, so I’ve enjoyed our speed dating and bake sale events.
Ashley: I decided to join because of the community involvement. As Jencel mentioned, seeing students come together and work to build a better future is inspiring. Young people putting their minds together can accomplish huge things, and getting the chance to do that and pay it forward is great. We also instil good values through our club, and the people we meet are amazing.
Sheryn: Jencel introduced me to the club, but I joined because of CKI’s passion for contributing to and positively impacting communities. Their desire to engage in acts of service and kindness encouraged me to join and be a part of this remarkable group! My favourite part about being a member is not just the community service but the social aspect of planning activities for MacEwan students to enjoy and volunteering with different organizations.
SAMU: Wow, that sounds like a great community you have. What is it like to be a part of one of the biggest collegiate community service organizations in the world?
Jencel: It feels like you have a home away from home. This past April, we attended the CKI Western convention in Calgary, where all the Western chapters gathered and participated in workshops, events, networking and more. We met many people from post-secondarys around Western Canada, which was amazing. Something else we are looking forward to is the International Convention held in the United States, and we are planning to attend next year if all works out!
SAMU: What kind of opportunities do you provide for students?
Jencel: CKI offers many opportunities to students. Within each CKI chapter, one member is nominated from each university to receive $500 within the Western Canada district, and we can apply for up to a $7000 scholarship internationally! You need to be a paid member of CKI to access the scholarships. You can be a general or VIP member, and once you pay, you get access to scholarships and conventions, and you can be insured under our insurance. For volunteering, CKI members perform more than 100,000 hours of service annually through all international chapters. For leadership, we assume leadership responsibilities at all levels of the organization and through various experiential training conferences.
SAMU: Tell me about your upcoming Prom Night in the Lookout. What are you most excited about?
Sheryn: Prom Night takes place on September 20th in The Lookout and is open to all students interested in our group looking to network! Any CKI member in the Western district can attend, so we look forward to seeing people from all around. There is a $35 entrance fee, and a portion of the profit will be donated to brick-by-brick. We will have catered food and drinks, music, an open dance floor and more, making this an exciting start to the year for students!
Jencel: We will be tabling until September 16th throughout MacEwan, where students can learn more about our event and buy their tickets. Our Prom Night will have some programming; we have a few guest speakers and surprise games planned.
Ashley: There will also be a photo booth where you can take pictures with your friends and create memories. I’m excited to see people smiling and socializing in the new academic year, and we hope new students come out to meet each other and make friends!
SAMU: That sounds amazing! What other events can students look forward to for the Fall Semester and upcoming year?
Jencel: We will be hosting lots of fundraisers to donate our time and profits, volunteering opportunities and more.
Ashley: In September, we will partner with the UNICEF USA brick-by-brick project; in October, we plan on volunteering with Edmonton Food Bank or another agency. November will be our big month; we plan on hosting a bake sale to raise funds for Kids with Cancer Society to spread awareness about the organization and how to get involved and help. In December we will do our Christmas giveaways and movie night, where the admission fee is a donation to The Pantry!
SAMU: How has being involved in this Student Group impacted your university experience?
Jencel: This group has brought me out of my comfort zone. Coming out of high school, I couldn’t imagine myself as a university club President, but I have now been President for two years and was also elected to be the Lieutenant governor of the Western Canada District! I’ve grown a lot as a person, and it’s lovely to reflect on it.
Ashley: Being a part of CKI has allowed me to become more involved in school events since I attend all our meetings and plan our events, which is a new skill I’ve gained. A lot goes into event planning and execution, but they have all been great experiences so far! I’ve also grown a network of people I trust, who I’m not afraid to talk with, and who I can go to with any questions.
Sheryn: Adding to what Jencel and Ashley have said, this changed my university experience from just attending classes to being involved on campus, making a difference in my community, and helping others. Getting to meet new people and make more friends has been amazing.
SAMU: What would you say to someone considering joining a Student Group?
Jencel: Go for it! The worst that happens is you don’t enjoy it, but at least you’ve had the experience of being a part of a community, and you’ll most likely find somewhere to settle in. I joined ten clubs in my first year, which was crazy. I had meetings every day, but I slowly found my community and friends, and now I’m here.
Sheryn: Making valuable memories in university to look back and reminisce about later in life is worth taking the risk of getting out of your comfort zone, joining a student group, and finding your community.
Ashley: Find your people! You never know where they might be, so go for it and join. Try out a few groups and see how it goes. You might even find new interests and learn more about yourself and the talents you might be hiding.
SAMU: That is fantastic advice. Is there anything else you want to tell students before we end?
CKI: We can’t wait to get in touch at our Prom Night! Be open to new experiences, step out of your comfort zone, and slay the day away!
You can connect with CKI on social media through Instagram (@mackewan.cki).
Follow SAMU on social media through Instagram (@sa_macewan), Twitter (@SAMacEwan), and Facebook (Students’ Association of MacEwan University) to stay up to date on the latest events, programs, and services from your students’ association.
