In a school of 40,000+
students, it may be intimidating to find the right volunteering opportunity.
From a personal perspective, I always had an idea of what kind of volunteering
opportunities that interested me. However, with so many organizations on campus,
I had a difficult time starting the search process as well as narrowing down
the potential options. Similar to many other schools, there is always some kind
of volunteering opportunity that somewhat aligns with a student's interests. If
there is not that strict alignment, there is room to start one’s own
organization.
The easiest place to
start is by looking on your school’s organization page. Through filtering
options and just doing own research, you are bound to find several volunteering
clubs of interest. Through personal experiences and hearing other’s path, the
most effective advice is just to go through the process. Figuring out what you
like and what you don’t should not be a stressful process. Rather it should be
a fun and engaging experience. Freshman who come into the university have this
expectation that they are supposed to discover everything that works for them
right away. It is through positive and negative experiences that help an
individual discover where they are supposed to be. This process is throughout a
college experience and never just a one-time decision made during freshman
year. Most of the times the result is never expected/planned. The research and
actually going through the process is something that should be a fun experience.
Some national
organizations that are great volunteering opportunities for WWFF are listed
below:
- Dance Marathon: A
nationwide movement raising money for Children’s Miracle Network hospital
in their community. Students spend the school year holding different
events to raise money that contributes to their end goal. The end goal is
an extremely rewarding experience with a 12-40 hour-long event where the
students stay on their feet to raise awareness of their goals and
achievements.
- Habitat for
Humanity: A non-profit organization whose mission statement is that
everyone deserves a safe and affordable home to live. They engage in
projects to build and repair houses using volunteer labor and donations.
- Best Buddies: An
organization that pairs up people with disabilities with college students
to form one-on-one friendships. Every month there is a chapter event and
an individual event to further a deeper connection and understanding of
each other.
- Autism Speaks:
Through campus and local awareness, students hold fundraising efforts to
improve awareness of families and individuals affected by autism.
- Divest and
Invest: Students run efforts to expand awareness for clean energy
solutions in everyday life.
Remember
there is always an opportunity out there! If not, start your own!
-Sylvia Lorenzini
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