On Sept. 10, 2008 the Annual Volunteer Fair: Volunteers Go the Extra Mile, sponsored by the Office of Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs, was held in packed Sykes Ballrooms between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.The Volunteer Fair consisted of approximately 53 off-campus organizations and two on-campus organizations: Habitat for Humanity and Colleges Against Cancer, (formerly Relay for Life). Off-campus organizations that were at the fair included the Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts, La Comunidad Hispana, Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Chester County YWCA, YMCA of Lionville, and the Chester County SPCA, among several others.
The Office of Service Learning and Volunteer Programs and the annual Volunteer Fair, directed by Maggie Tripp, have existed for roughly 12 years. Approximately 4,000 documented students use the office each year and the office collaborates with all of the community service organizations, sororities, fraternities, and other organizations on campus.
The term “service-learning” is used when a student does volunteer work as a requirement for a course. This allows students to actively participate in their community and reflect on their experiences. Over 3,000 students that come into the office participate in service-learning projects
Reversely, “volunteer programs” is a term used for individuals or clubs who volunteer on their own time.
Tripp reported that several classes, instead of going to their classrooms, attended the volunteer fair to find a service-learning opportunity to fill a class requirement.
Some of the major events the office sponsors each year include the Good Cause Café, a charity book sale to provide Thanksgiving meals to the community, the Martin Luther King Day of Service, where students make blankets to give to children at Du Pont Hospital for Children, and Daffodil Day, for the American Cancer Society.
“[The programs] are mostly off-campus.we’re all about connecting them [the students] with where the need is” Tripp said.
Volunteers are always needed. Elmira Butler, from the Salvation Army, agrees: “We have Spanish speaking students that come in on a regular basis, but we’re trying to encourage them to come more often. We have a very large Spanish population that comes through.”
“We find that they [the students] gain a lot of skills.they gain leadership skills, time management skills, and it helps them build their résumé,” Tripp answered, when asked why students should volunteer.
Volunteering is also a great way for pre-major students to figure out what major to select, Tripp reported.
Overall, Tripp cited a wonderful turnout and hopes that the enthusiasm for volunteering continues throughout the year.
Jenn Halligan is a second-year English major with a minor in Spanish. She can be reached at JH653435@wcupa.edu