By Elizabeth Lunn
While some students go home after classes and have their weekends free, others are giving their time to needy causes. Students are involving themselves in volunteer opportunities all around Wichita Falls.
Junior Cori Bobbett has put school aside to lend a hand on many occasions.
“I’ve done The Great Day of Service, canned food drives, trips to the Humane Society, packing and passing out meals at elementary schools for the weekends for the kids whose parents can’t afford much,” she said. She’s also sorted food at the Food Bank and served meals at Faith Mission.
According to Dominique Calhoun, coordinator of Multicultural Services, , volunteer work can help fill the gaps on a resume.
“Many future employers and graduate schools look for the work that students do outside of the classroom,” he said.
Volunteer organizations teach the specific skills needed for the work students will be doing. Therefore, no prior training is needed. These organizations are also willing to work around students’ schedules to make sure student-volunteers don’t become overwhelmed.
Bobbett managed to take a full course load of classes, be involved in her sorority, and rack up many volunteer hours. However, her sorority’s 10-hour volunteer minimum isn’t the only thing motivating her to give back to others.
“If I weren’t in a sorority, I’d be a part of some other group that does community service as well,” Bobbett said. “One thing I’ve always wanted to do is go on a mission trip. So I’ll probably do that when I’m not so busy with the sorority thing anymore.”
Volunteering can do more for students than just spicing up a resume.
“Students should get involved because of the benefit that it not only provides to our society as a whole, but the intrinsic value that they will receive for ‘doing the right thing,’” Calhoun said.
More volunteer information is provided at just the click of a mouse. Students can go to MSU Volunteer website to receive up-to-date information. In addition, there is a glass case outside of the Office of Student Development & Orientation that contains the most relevant community service information.
It is never too early to prepare for summer volunteer opportunities.
“Many organizations pre-plan for summer placements as early as mid-March. This is so that they can have an idea of the resources at their disposal throughout those months where the influx of college-aged students tend to leave the community,” Calhoun said.