Giving all year round

With volunteering, everyone benefits

By Christina Lieffring

‘Tis the season of giving and many consider giving back to their community. But while almost any altruistic gesture is appreciated, long-term commitments yield more benefits for the charity organi­zation and the volunteer.

“Quite often these organizations oper­ate on a shoestring budget,” said Mary Smith, director of community based learning. “So they really rely on volun­teers for their infrastructure, for their de­velopment and for what they can do in the community. What they’re able to pro­vide is much greater with volunteers.”

One of the benefits for the organiza­tion is that the volunteer has a chance to learn more about what they do and how they operate, and therefore can take on more responsibility.

“I think we all want to contribute and make a difference and so we all go in with our own personalities and ideas. I think what is so important is to just hold back and really walk side-by-side in the orga­nization that you’re volunteering with,” said Smith. “It’s so important to go in with an open mind, suspend judgment, get to know the organization that you’re serving, the people you’re working with and just really work on acceptance and building trust. And then, together, creat­ing.”

Samira Hussein, professor of business administration, pointed out that with the rising cost of school tuition, volunteering offers students the chance to test out a field before committing to it.

“You’ll get a good feel for what [they] do and maybe you’ll see this is not your shtick,” she said. “You don’t have to spend thousands [of dollars] before you figure out, ‘This is not what I anticipated my major would be like.’”

According to LeeAnn Cunningham, employment relations and intern coordi­nator with the career development center, volunteering is good for people with little work experience or who are in-between jobs.
“Its an opportunity to learn some skills and to give some skills to an orga­nization,” said Cunningham.

“Those are things that can be put on a résumé and it shows that are using your time in a really productive way for your community.”

If a résumé shows a prolonged com­mitment to an organization, it makes a strong statement about that applicant.

“I think that that speaks of commit­ment; there’s an ongoing commitment and an ongoing experience,” said Cun­ningham. “More than just a one-time op­portunity, it’s the opportunity to go and give of yourself, perhaps in numerous ways.”

But for those who are gainfully and happily employed, volunteering offers the opportunity to apply their expertise to help a community in need. Hussein began volunteering through the FDIC to teach financial literacy to high school stu­dents, many of whom are the children of immigrants who may not be familiar with the U.S.’s financial system.

“It’s one thing to teach in a classroom but another thing to see the excitement and awakening when bringing the mate­rial to young minds,” said Hussein. “I got personally involved more with the sub­ject matter.”

The college offers volunteer opportu­nities through community-based learning courses and some study abroad opportu­nities. Counselors at the Career Develop­ment Center can also help student find an organization that matches their interests: the Kansas City area has hundreds of or­ganizations involved with a variety of is­sues and communities.

“There’s an organization for about ev­ery interest,” said Cunningham.