The American Red Cross Club at Citrus College has quietly become one of the most active community centered student groups on campus, though many students still don’t realize how much the club offers.
What began as a small idea among a few pre-health students has grown into a steady, hands-on community for anyone interested in healthcare, service work, leadership or simply meeting people who care about helping others.
Gabriella Schwab said the group originally started as Doctors of Tomorrow, but the name no longer fit the larger vision. As a pre-med student, she noticed many of her classmates were also navigating the healthcare pathway.
With help from biology professor June Han, Schwab teamed up with another student, and spent a semester planning what would eventually become the American Red Cross Club.
“We wanted to provide resources and guidance for students pursuing healthcare,” Schwab said in an email. “And just create a community that wasn’t there before.”
Connor Gutierrez-Ray said that partnering with the American Red Cross gave the club a stronger identity and a more hands-on approach.
“Red Cross is one of our more community-help-driven clubs,” he said in an email. “We’re not just teaching STEM or medical topics, we’re also giving back through blood drives and volunteering at food banks.”
Leadership roles are always open, whether it’s running event check-ins, managing canteen stations at blood drives or assisting with outreach.
“There are plenty of opportunities if students just ask,” Gutierrez-Ray said in an email.
Dan Morales said he joined because it felt like the one place on campus where healthcare-driven students could connect without the pressure of already “knowing everything.”
“It’s the only active healthcare-related club on campus,” he said in an email.
He sees the club as a direct extension of Citrus College’s emphasis on service, a way for students to help others while also becoming stronger candidates for their careers.
All three said the club is truly open to everyone. Most members are first-generation college students who are still figuring things out, and the club keeps everything beginner-friendly.
“Anyone from any background is encouraged,” Gutierrez-Ray said in an email. “We teach in basic formats and answer every question.”
The club has already participated in blood drives, learning stations for wound care and food pantry volunteering. This semester, they are bringing in their first medical guest speaker, a family medicine doctor from St. Jude. Schwab said in an email she hopes to turn this into a full workshop series with different specialties if all goes well.
Beyond resume-building, this shows one thing clearly: The club gives students something personal. Morales said the biggest growth comes from being surrounded by people who share the same goals.
Schwab said her most meaningful moments came from conversations during the campus blood drive with members.
Gutierrez-Ray said in an email his proudest moment was teaching students skills they thought were too hard to learn and watching everything suddenly “click.”
For students who want to join, the club posts updates on Canvas and campus flyers. Anyone interested can reach out to Schwab, gabschwab261@student.citruscollege.edu to be added.
