Rover of the Month: Eli Chan

For our first ever Rover of the Month, we decided that it would be best for everyone to know this year’s elected President, Eli Chan! For this Scouting year, we will be following her leadership towards more community service and stronger Rover engagement. Everyone knows her for her bubbly personality and big heart, but we want to go deeper and learn about the real Eli Chan! Below is a list of questions and answers from an interview we conducted specifically for Eli. To start, here is a short bio:

Eli’s leadership career started as a Cub Scouter for 33rd Richmond, a Richmond area Scout Group. Her previous experiences in our Crew included a financial role in our Operations department; she acted as a core team member for our 4th International Service Project to Mexico, which is one of the most strenuous roles a Rover may take on; and lastly, she acted as Vice-President for our Past President, Karina Lee, during the 2014-2015 Scouting year. During her year as Vice-President, she also acted as the Department Head for our new Human Resources Department. Through this, she found her passion for human resources, and through her 5th year at the University of British Columbia, she pursued her last co-op term with one of the largest HR consulting firms called Mercer!

1. When did you make the decision to take on the role as President?

My previous experiences in the crew were mostly behind the scenes, such as being a core team member for our International Service Project to Mexico in 2014, and being part of our Operations Department for finance. Being Vice President last year was a stepping stone. At first, I was a little hesitant, but the Advisors showed a lot of support and they helped me to make sense of the situation. I really believe in the crew. I can take on this challenge. I am suited to be the President.

2. Was this a hard decision to make?

It was at first, just because my plate felt really full. I want to finish my bachelor’s degree and complete my final co-op term. I wasn’t sure how being President was going to affect my schedule. Despite that though, I still want to dedicate all the necessary hours towards the Rover Crew.

3. Did you receive the support you needed and expected?

Definitely! I didn’t become President by default just because no one else ran. I have to obtain enough signatures from other Rovers to get the thumbs up to run. I contacted the Department Heads of last year and this year, and thankfully, everyone was happy to support my decision to run.

4. Which roles have you taken during your years as a Rover Scout do you think will help you with your new role as President?

It was mainly my experience as a Cub Scouter. From being a Scouter, I was able to truly understand the Scouting Movement from the perspectives of younger Scouts to those my age. It’s like with any leadership position you can take in the professional field; you have to understand who’s following you to know how to lead them. Also, I could see what they were doing right and what I could help them improve. Like a lot of other Rovers, a lot of my learning came from participating in international service projects! My first one was to China, then Mexico, and finally, to Malaysia and Singapore this year.

5. What do you think the greatest challenge will be as Rover President?

Rover engagement will be the product of my Presidential year. However, I do think that the biggest challenge will to get everyone to feel connected with each other and with the values of the Crew. I want to ensure that everyone is paddling together, and to reach out to those who need some help with that.

6. Which characters do you think a successful president will need?

Patience is key. The crew is getting so big, so I’m really excited to be working with all these different personality types! It’ll give me the chance to practice getting my message across through understanding others’ perspectives, because I can relate to being frustrated when things don’t necessarily go the way I imagined them.

7. What are your plans after serving as President?

Like all the Past Presidents, I want to stay with the crew. I want to help guide the Rovers towards our intended direction by working closely with our management team.

8. How do you imagine the Rover Crew to look like in 5 years?

I want people to know us, whether they are those our age or even employers. I want the Rover Crew to be reputable as a well-known youth organization and is recognized and credible as a leadership development program.

9. Has your role in the Rover Crew benefited you academically or professionally?

I wouldn’t have scored my co-op job without my experiences with the Rover Crew, especially with my experiences developing and creating our Human Resources department, involving HR strategies and implementation. Initially, my career trajectory was towards accounting, but I fell in love with HR when I pursued it for the Rover Crew. Now, I know this is what I want to do.

10. Why do you believe in our Rover Crew?

I can say that this is a leadership development program because I have witnessed it. My success story is definitely not the only one. Meeting these people and becoming friends with fellow Rovers encourages me to help find the sweet spot for everyone who welcomes my leadership. Another thing I admire about our Rover Crew, which is also praised in other Scout Groups everywhere, is the way we give recognition. By explicitly recognizing each other’s efforts, it creates a very safe and motivating environment. It is a catalyst for personal development.

11. If you could choose one superpower, which would it be and why?

(I want to be a Vulcan). I want a dial so I could control my emotions. Everyone that I’ve worked with knows how emotional I get because of how passionate I am with everything I commit to. When you’re upset, I feel for you, and I get really upset too, even if it has nothing to do with me! I’m trying my best to learn how to moderate my feelings so it won’t negatively affect how I work. Having a dial wouldn’t be great just so I could control how I feel. It would probably work well for the people I work with too.