Breanna Watzka '10

Majors: Public Relations and Journalism

Take it to the community: Breanna was named the 2009 Franklin County Volunteer of the Year in Income Development for her work with Colleges Against Cancer and Relay for Life. She founded a chapter of Colleges Against Cancer at Otterbein in Fall 2008 and chaired Otterbein's first Relay for Life event in May 2009.

Breanna became an advocate for cancer awareness as a senior in high school when she participated in her first Relay for Life after the loss of her religion teacher to ovarian cancer. As she worked to jumpstart Otterbein Colleges Against Cancer, her grandfather and her roommate's father were both diagnosed with cancer. These personal experiences have prompted Breanna to educate and support her peers who have been touched by this disease.

"We have cancer survivors on our campus, and many more have loved ones at home battling this disease, so it's important to me to let them know they're not alone in their fight," she said.

Breanna's volunteer career began in middle school and continued throughout high school, where she served as president of St. Vincent DePaul High School's service club, she said. She received a scholarship to attend Otterbein to join the CardinalCorps Leaders and coordinate a weekly afterschool program at Whittier Elementary School in Westerville.

"Otterbein has played a crucial role in my growth as a volunteer simply by making so many opportunities available to students,” she said. “The Center for Community Engagement has been so supportive of all my volunteer endeavors. The more I got involved, the more comfortable I became in leadership roles on campus and in the community."

Take it with you: Breanna said she volunteers because she loves helping people and getting to know her community. "I feel like it's my responsibility to share my skills with others, but I also gain from my experiences. I love the idea that one person or a small group of people can make a difference and volunteering is definitely the bright spot in my day," she said.

Breanna said after graduation she would love to combine her public relations career with volunteerism, most likely in a non-profit setting. She said she could also picture herself working in community relations in a business setting.