When I first moved to Allentown for the beginning of my freshman year, I was amazed by the amount of opportunities there were for students to connect to organizations in the Lehigh Valley community. Community service and civic engagement are somewhat familiar to me because my high school established charity events that students were required to volunteer at. However, in my collegiate career, I’m left to search for opportunities for civic engagement through my own networking connections.
Coming from a small town in Long Island, there weren’t many opportunities for me to engage in my community besides the events that were set up by my high school. There were never any opportunities for me to be actively involved in protests or marches that fought civil rights. The first and only protest I ever experienced pertained to a law in regards to abortion. However, I’ve learned that there are so many other opportunities for community engagement beyond protests and marches that promote civil equality and collective engagement. Some of these opportunities might be:
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Tutor or mentor students from schools in the area.
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Get involved in campus organizations collaborating with local charities in need of volunteers.
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Independently volunteer at organizations that hold positions pertaining to your career interests.
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Acquire internships at organizations outside of the college community.
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Participate in local elections and communal discussions.
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Join programs and organizations on campus that have an outreach to the outside community.
Participating a collective community organization allows us to be unified with other people, sharing a common goal and passion for societal change. Service to the college community, teaches students skills in regards to teamwork, compassion, and problem-solving efforts that can be applicable to future jobs and careers. So, take advantage of this extensive collegiate community and let your authentic perspective shine through.