Engaging with our community: Volunteering at UL Lafayette 

As the school year gets underway, students of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who are curious about community service experience can find multiple opportunities through the university. 

Though students at the university are in need of opportunities, some may not know where to look. Dr. Gretchen Vanicor, the director of sustainability for the Office of Sustainability, first suggested getting involved through the organizations students are in. 

“I would encourage students to think about what organizations they are in. That’s a really good way to get involved. Many of our student organization programs have a service requirement.” 

If students aren’t a part of an organization already, Dr. Vanicor also cited some prominent events and partners of the university. As far as on campus opportunities go, The Big Event is the university’s largest community service event, gathering nearly 1000 students annually to give back to the community. Students can also volunteer to be a peer mentor for incoming freshmen during Soul Camp. 

Some off-campus partners include United Way of Acadiana, Second Harvest Food Bank, Parish Proud and AmeriCorps. UL Lafayette AmeriCorps is the only university-based AmeriCorps program in the state, making community service at UL Lafayette stand out even more from other universities. 

On Sept. 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Office of Career Services held a part-time job and volunteer fair in the union ballroom. The event included several local businesses who were looking for student volunteers or workers. Some of the businesses present were Bridge Ministries of Acadiana, Louisiana Community Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana, Hearts of Hope and Clearport Learning Center. 

LaJuan Milstead, the emergency response coordinator for Hearts of Hope, expressed that anyone can volunteer but a specific kind of personality is needed. 

“In a volunteer candidate we’re looking for someone that’s going to be compassionate about what they’re actually doing. We are looking for someone who wants to help and make an impact.” 

When asked about the effectiveness of the fair, Claudy St. Louis, the executive director of Bridge Ministry of Acadiana, revealed that even though it was their first year attending, the turnout for their booth was overwhelmingly positive. 

“I think the feedback… the amount of people we’ve had at the table has been tremendous. Up until now, it’s kind of just been word of mouth for us, but to be able to get onto UL’s campus and have thousands of kids pouring in… I don’t think you could really beat that.” 

The great turnout for the fair was not only beneficial for the businesses there but also for the students attending. On top of getting community service experience to put on their resume, they were also increasing their own personal happiness. 

In a 2017 study, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) found results that confirm the beneficial effects of volunteering on mental health, physical health, life satisfaction, depression and social well-being. 

Dr. Vanicor also agreed with the idea that community service is beneficial to the overall health and lifestyle of a person. 

“We work with student organizations all the time to come up with projects, and people leave happy knowing that they were able to do some good on that day. It really does a lot for your own well-being and your own sense of self to give back, so I would encourage anyone to find a way to get involved.” 

Jalen Jackson, a junior electrical engineering major, echoes this research with his own volunteering experiences. With over 400 community service hours, Jackson has had a lot of experience helping others. When asked about his favorite experience, Jackson described a day when he played bingo with senior citizens. 

“I feel like that was really nice because we put a smile on their faces. It was just a good time. We got to dance with them too. Just making their day and making them feel better, so I would probably say that was my favorite one.” 

Lashonah Russell, a freshman nursing major, similarly shared her favorite volunteering experience and the satisfaction she felt after helping those less fortunate than herself. 

“My favorite experience was toys for tots because I liked to think about the less fortunate kids that can’t get presents for Christmas. They were able to get bags and stuff that I was able to pack up for them and pick personally for the kids. I liked that.” 

On the importance of community service, Dr. Vanicor said we should give back to the greater Lafayette community that gives so much to the school and students of UL Lafayette. 

“Community service and community engagement is a core value of the university. The community gives so much to us and serving them, providing support and just engaging in our community is part of what makes UL Lafayette a special place to live.”