CHESTERTOWN, MD—The worldwide service organization Rotary International officially inaugurated Washington College’s first-ever Rotaract Club into its network at a lunch and ceremony at the College on Tuesday, March 4. During the event, which took place in Hodson Hall Commons, the student members received their Rotaract lapel pins and founding president Lily Britt ’16 accepted a Certificate of Organization for the group. 

Officials on hand to welcome the new club were Past District Governor Roger Harrell and District Governor-Elect Jen Reider, along with Chestertown Rotary Club President Les Moorhouse and President-Elect Paul Heckles. 

WAC Rotaract enables men and women ages 18 to 30 to organize service activities and develop their leadership and professional skills. The campus-based group works closely with the Chestertown Rotary Club and enjoys its full sponsorship but is managed independently by students and faculty. 

Lily Britt arrived at Washington College in Fall 2012 knowing she wanted to establish a Rotaract club and increase the amount of public service by the younger Chestertown community. Having spent a year of high school in Lille, France as a Rotary Youth Exchange student, she experienced first-hand the opportunities Rotary can provide. Her active networking allowed her to obtain a 2013 summer internship with fashion company Pimkie, and she is planning to return to the company for a second stint as an intern buyer in Summer 2015. 

“Ever since Rotary gave me the opportunity to go to France, I’ve felt like I should give back,” says Britt, who organized the Rotaract Club last May. “This is a club where you can interact locally, nationally, and globally on a large scale of issues.” WAC Rotaract has already been active within the community, assisting the Chestertown Rotary Club with the cleanup of Camp Fairlee and volunteering at Garnett Elementary School. 

John Murray, a research fellow in the Washington College Department of Psychology, serves as the club’s liaison with the Chestertown Rotary Club and works alongside Britt and faculty advisor Joseph Prud’homme to co-ordinate service events. 

– George Gabriel ’14