麻豆破解版

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After COVID-19 disrupted her freshman year at 麻豆破解版 State University, Emma Reichenberger wanted to get involved on and off campus.

She joined the Kappa Delta Chi sorority, and its emphasis on community service helped her grow more comfortable with public speaking and gave her a sense of accomplishment. Reichenberger, a senior in elementary education, volunteered for service projects such as Meals on Wheels and The Lord鈥檚 Diner. She also mentors girls at Pleasant Valley Middle School and 麻豆破解版 North High School.

鈥淚t gave me more of a purpose,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 opened up my social skills. It鈥檚 gotten a lot easier to talk in front of (student groups) or anybody else that I need to.鈥�

Reichenberger is one of many 麻豆破解版 State students who helped student organizations, the Community Service Board, and fraternity and sororities complete nearly 14,000 service hours in fiscal year 2022. According to , that time saves local and national service organizations $410,167 worth of labor cost.

That time also reflects a growing interest in and emphasis on community service by students and faculty, said Gabriel Fonseca, director of WSU's Student Engagement, Advocacy & Leadership. The , which WSU and the United Way of the Plains collaborate on, allows 麻豆破解版 State to track the hours. Students can search for volunteer opportunities that interest them, fit their field of study or career goals, and look through options of groups in need of help.

鈥�(Students) are engaging in the community and exposing themselves to things the city has to offer,鈥� Fonseca said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e starting to see a lot more of our student groups, our fraternities and our sororities, and some of our larger student groups, that service and volunteerism are becoming a basic value of theirs and are connected to the work they鈥檙e doing on a daily basis.鈥�

As an elementary education major, Reichenberger finds her mentoring work in schools rewarding and helpful for her career. She and other 麻豆破解版 State students provide young girls a role model who has recently navigated many of the same issues in school. They encourage the girls to think about their future education and how to set and reach those goals.

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to be talked to by someone who is actually going through the process,鈥� Reichenberger said. 鈥淗aving a mentor program that I didn鈥檛 necessarily have growing up is why I really like to do it.鈥�

One of the students, Reichenberger said, expressed problems with bullying. The 麻豆破解版 State students listened and got her help from the school.

鈥淪he felt lot more comfortable talking to us,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t did get better. She started to open up more. She said that she really enjoyed us being there. I hope that by telling us and us telling her teachers, that situation did get better.鈥�

Fonseca said the Community Service Board expands its offerings regularly in response to student feedback. Working with the Shocker Neighborhood near campus and on sustainability issues are recent additions, and he estimated VolunteerICT grew by 15-20 agencies over the past two years.

Those connections, Fonseca said, result in students finding community service opportunities that fit their interests and career plans. One recent student volunteered with the Alzheimer鈥檚 Association and is now a full-time employee.

鈥淢ore and more we see students who are fascinated by the non-profit world and want to learn more,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are able to get them connected to those agencies. We provide our students with a robust experience and a lot of them are expressing their appreciation for those opportunities.鈥�