Ayla Brooks
Published: February 8, 2006
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
-Dr. Seuss in the Lorax
Why do students volunteer? ÿThere is no money in it. It adds more stress to an already busy schedule. Why would anyone want to do that?ÿWell, they volunteer for various reasons.
On average, according to several PJC students questioned, the youth of today volunteer from two to 10 hours a week. This may not sound like much time to some; however, when you have a full school schedule, children and a job, it is a lot.
Volunteering is two-fold. Students volunteer to gain experience in their particular field of study, while others may actually be working in an internship program with the ultimate goal of enhancing their resume and landing the “big job.”
Some said they volunteer to “meet and greet” so that they can, at the least, get their foot in the door when they do graduate.
A slim few reported they volunteered because “it’s the right thing to do.”
For whatever reason students volunteer, it enhances them as a person and also improves the community.
“What changed the way I look at life? I was a Big Sister for five years in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program in Pensacola. I started off doing it just to look good on a resume for my future job as a therapist but ended up sticking with it for the kids,”
Sharon Fegan, drug and alcohol therapist and former Big Sister volunteer, said.
Crystal Bailey volunteers her time at the Pensacola Plasma Center twice a week for two hours. Bailey is enrolled full time at PJC, works for student support services and is raising a two year old boy.
“I volunteer because I think that my two hours a week can help with immune deficiency research,” she said.
Emily Mahood, PJC’s Volunteer Coordinator, provides two main services to students interested in volunteer work.
“I can assist in matching students’ interests with a volunteer organization and also we will start a file to provide future verification of hours volunteered,” Mahood said.
The next PJC volunteer expo is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., March 21 in the student center on the Milton campus.
“It is hard for a lot of students to find the time to volunteer, but there is Hands On Pensacola that caters to people who work and there is no long-term commitment,” Mahood said. ÿ
“Mostly students volunteer for contacts at organizations that they want to work at one day, experience and to beef up their resume. However they still get the feeling that they are making a difference so it works hand in hand!”
To find out how you can volunteer in the community, go to www.handsonpensacola.org for links to other websites or stop by Mahood’s office which is located on the Pensacola Campus, Bldg.1, Room 43L. She may also be reached by phone at 484-1792.