Rachel Roberts '20
Heading into college, the advice I got over and over again was “get involved,” so I did exactly that. I joined a sorority my first semester at the Beach, and the rest was history. During my time in Zeta Tau Alpha I’ve held five positions, including Treasurer and President. The most recent position I held in the chapter was one I helped create, called the Inclusion Chairman. As Inclusion Chairman, I helped made sure the chapter created a welcoming environment for all members, and developed programming that celebrated the diversity of our sisterhood. On ZTA’s national level, I sit on the Inclusion Committee, which seeks to improve the organization’s efforts regarding inclusion on a larger scale. Last year, I joined the inaugural class of Fraternity & Sorority Life Peer Educators at CSULB, in which I help educate students on important topics such as hazing, cultural appropriation, and more.
I’ve also been involved in Beach Forensics, CSULB’s Speech & Debate Team, for three years. As a debater, my argumentation focused primarily on critical race and gender theories. My involvement in debate lead me to represent CSULB as a Collegiate Scholar at the Women’s Debate Institute for two consecutive summers. The WDI, whose mission is to advocate for and facilitate a more gender-inclusive environment in debate, solidified my commitment to inclusion in all aspects of my life.
My mom was a non-traditional college student, earning her Bachelor’s degree from CSULB in 2011. I was 13 at the time, so I remember what it was like for her. I was so inspired by how hard she worked maintaining school and work, while raising two middle schoolers. Her determination is what motivates me to pursue my education, so when I got accepted to CSULB it just felt right.
All of my undergraduate extracurricular activities revolved around some aspect of service or social justice. I want to continue on the path of helping others, and I’m currently exploring different options to pursue that such as law school, graduate school, and volunteer opportunities.
Campus resources don’t have to end after graduation! Joining the Alumni network grants you continued access to a lot of services that will definitely come in handy, including the Career Development Center and the Library.
