As a first generation student from a rural area of South Carolina, my exposure to the outside world was very limited. Attending the University of South Carolina gave me my first chance to converse with a diverse group of students from various backgrounds and cultures. My exposure to diversity and social issues came through two outlets. The first was my inclusion in the McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which gave me my first chance to have intellectual conversations about issues facing our state, our society, and the state of academia. My continued exposure to social issues, as well as the place that offered me a chance to face these issues head on, came from the place I would call my “home” at USC: the Leadership and Service Center.
…show more content…
These few hours of grueling work sparked a dedication to serving my community and during my time at USC I served over 300 hours. Over my four years I worked with community gardens, homeless shelters and food kitchens, educational programs in local schools and libraries, health services for the elderly and economically disadvantaged, mental health outreach, and social outlets for individuals with disabilities.
While direct service was what drew me into community service, what I enjoyed the most was outreach and education to students concerning social issues affecting our campus and the surrounding city of Columbia. I was able to do exactly this through three separate positions I held while I was an undergraduate: I was a Community Service Ambassador my sophomore year, a member of the Leadership and Service Team when I was a senior, and a University 101 Peer Leader both my junior and …show more content…
I am serving my year of service at The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina. The transition from USC to The Citadel has challenged me in multiple ways: the university lacks in the diversity that most other institutions of secondary education have with most of their students being white males but the college has made incredible strides and as a VISTA I wanted to aid in the continued forward movement of the college. As well, I had to quickly adapt to a completely different social climate and internal language than any I had encountered before. In my time at the college, I have aided in the creation and implementation of new curriculum for afterschool programs serving economically disadvantaged children in schools in the local school district. As well, I have been deeply involved in engaging students through service learning courses and connecting them with community agencies to serve the greater Charleston community. This student engagement will culminate in the largest program of the academic year: Leadership Day, a college wide day of service where normal activities are ceased and every student enrolled in the college is sent out into the community to serve with various organizations including local schools, the Habitat for Humanity, and the Ronald McDonald House. Being a VISTA has not only allowed me to experience the professional world
These few hours of grueling work sparked a dedication to serving my community and during my time at USC I served over 300 hours. Over my four years I worked with community gardens, homeless shelters and food kitchens, educational programs in local schools and libraries, health services for the elderly and economically disadvantaged, mental health outreach, and social outlets for individuals with disabilities.
While direct service was what drew me into community service, what I enjoyed the most was outreach and education to students concerning social issues affecting our campus and the surrounding city of Columbia. I was able to do exactly this through three separate positions I held while I was an undergraduate: I was a Community Service Ambassador my sophomore year, a member of the Leadership and Service Team when I was a senior, and a University 101 Peer Leader both my junior and …show more content…
I am serving my year of service at The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina. The transition from USC to The Citadel has challenged me in multiple ways: the university lacks in the diversity that most other institutions of secondary education have with most of their students being white males but the college has made incredible strides and as a VISTA I wanted to aid in the continued forward movement of the college. As well, I had to quickly adapt to a completely different social climate and internal language than any I had encountered before. In my time at the college, I have aided in the creation and implementation of new curriculum for afterschool programs serving economically disadvantaged children in schools in the local school district. As well, I have been deeply involved in engaging students through service learning courses and connecting them with community agencies to serve the greater Charleston community. This student engagement will culminate in the largest program of the academic year: Leadership Day, a college wide day of service where normal activities are ceased and every student enrolled in the college is sent out into the community to serve with various organizations including local schools, the Habitat for Humanity, and the Ronald McDonald House. Being a VISTA has not only allowed me to experience the professional world