San Diego State offers a variety of philanthropic organizations on campus, however only one donates nearly 90 percent of its funds toward various charities.
During fall of 2016, economics and political science double major junior Chad Arulsamy had an idea.
On a Saturday afternoon in his room, he decided to create SDSU’s new philanthropic organization, Aztec Outreach.
Arulsamy is the organization’s current president for the 2017-2018 year.
“I wanted to get involved again,” Arulsamy said. “I felt like I wasn’t contributing much, and felt useless reading the news. I wanted to make a club that could include anyone, no matter who they are.”
Arulsamy said he felt most of the volunteer-based organizations on campus had too many requirements for members to join.
He wanted to create an organization that was more inclusive.
The organization aims to create a safe and welcoming community for all students at SDSU looking to make a positive difference in the world through volunteer and charity work.
Aztec Outreach’s mission statement includes three main principles: service, advocacy, and philanthropy.
Through these principles, the organization plans to support charities such as UNICEF, ASPCA and other animal and human rights advocates.
The organization will vote democratically on which specific charities will receive funds throughout the semester.
Arulsamy said he and his members share a common passion.
“A lot of the time as students we feel that we can’t do anything because we are in a university and first we need to finish our degree,” Arulsamy said. “(We feel) like we can’t be entrepreneurs or philanthropists, but I feel like we can. We can make a positive difference in the world with the smallest of impacts.”
The organization’s dues are $40 for a full academic year. 100 percent of the dues are put toward funding the organization’s projects and supplies.
Arulsamy said that this fact sets his organization apart from others.
“We don’t just hoard the money and let it sit for years,” he said. “That is one of the defining aspects (of Aztec Outreach).”
Aztec Outreach partnered with the Aztec Unity Project to participate in and support the Special Olympics last semester.
The organization has also conducted a cleanup at Mission Beach.
On Halloween, team members plan to visit affluent neighborhoods and go door-to-door in costume to collect donations for disadvantaged children rather than candy.
Arulsamy explained that the process to become a recognized student organization is a long and thorough process. Now that everything is in order, the organization expects to grow.
“This semester is when we are really starting up,” Arulsamy said. “We are trying to get a lot of people interested. We are looking for quality people that love to do things.”
Aztec Outreach’s team of board members includes the president, chief secretariat, marketing specialist, event administrator and an operations coordinator.
Arulsamy said it was important to include an operations coordinator in order to keep the organization accountable. He feels this makes the organization unique as well.
“The operations coordinator ensures that we follow all procedures, bylaws and school policies,” Arulsamy said. “This position makes sure all dues are recorded, reviews violations and makes sure everyone does their job.”
Public administration senior Le-Hsuan Chen is the organization’s current operations coordinator.
“Having been a part of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation throughout my high school years, I feel that this organization is a great way for me to continue giving back to the community,” Chen said. “As the operations coordinator, I am stoked to have the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned about managing administrative behavior in organizations and get hands on experience, while making the world a better place, one step at a time.”
Aztec Outreach meets at noon on the first and third Friday of every month.
The meetings are held on the second floor of the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union in Aztlan.
Arulsamy urges any student to come and check out the meetings.
He wants to end the negative stereotype that community service and advocacy is just boring labor.
“Don’t be afraid,” Arulsamy said. “I know that meeting new people is sometimes tough, but you won’t regret it. Come check us out, and you will have a bunch of fun with our organization and meet new friends, best friends, even possibly the love of your life. You never know.”
