Get up, get out, volunteer!
The Co-Chairs of UCSB’s Community Affairs Board (CAB), Stacy Gee and Adrian Gabriel, are redefining what it means to be an active member in the community.
CAB is an on-campus volunteer organization dedicated to bridging the gap between the student community and outside communities. CAB hosts volunteer events involving working with animals, the elderly, children, the environment, and the houseless.
What does being a CAB co-chair entail?
As CAB co-chairs, we facilitate general meetings and leaderboard meetings. We are also in charge of the nitty gritty work, such as food for events, volunteer activities, guest speakers—things like that. We oversee 22 coordinators who work on various projects; we check up on them, and help them create new programs. We also connect with Associated Students, our advisors, and other organizations on campus. [The job] mainly consists of internal duties and making sure everything functions smoothly, working as a support system!
What does an average day look like?
Well…. We both have office hours on Monday, where students can come in and ask us questions – we also catch up on emails! After office hours, we take a break, and then have our leaderboard meeting at night. This is where we update each other on what individual coordinators and CAB as a whole is doing. Our Wednesdays are pretty similar. We do office hours, start prepping for general meetings (IV Co-Op and Costco are the real MVPs), getting the volunteer slideshow up, sign up sheet and any guest speakers set up!
Best thing that’s happened so far in CAB?
Stacy: It was last year during spring quarter when we hosted Volunteer Week. It was toward the end of the year, and it was amazing seeing all the coordinators working together along with a lot of volunteers who also helped with the carnival. Really cool to see the growth of CAB from the fall to the spring!
Adrian: It was the first CAB retreat of the year! I was really nervous meeting all 22 of the new coordinators, but it was really nice seeing us all bond, especially since I was initially very hesitant on how we would all get along.
How has CAB added to your UCSB experience?
Stacy: CAB is basically my family. I have met some of my best friends through CAB, and it’s great to give back to the community while interacting with a lot of people I wouldn’t think I’d be interacting with in college, like the houseless community or the senior citizen community. When I first applied to the position at the end of my first year, I wasn’t confident I would get it, but I did, and the position has definitely transformed me into a leader, even allowing me to reclaim the CAB co chair position for two years.
Adrian: CAB is the biggest thing I am doing here. Since I lived off campus during my freshman year fall quarter, attending the first CAB meeting, I was very interested in volunteering. I stuck with it for three years, and it has become something I look forward to—seeing all the people volunteering, and the events we volunteer for – it’s great seeing everything come together.
What do you guys like to do in your free time?
Stacy: Uh, basically reading more CAB emails! But my favorite would probably be hiking. And sleeping. I also love going on Buzzfeed, blasting Taylor Swift and going downtown.
A: What is free time…? I tend to find myself hanging out in the CAB office or back in San Raf with my fellow RAs.
How can someone get involved?
Check out our site here. We post updated information on a daily basis. You can also sign up for care-mail, our weekly volunteer newsletter, by emailing cab.ucsb@gmail.com—there’s no commitment! You can come to as many or as few events or meetings as you’d like, generally whatever works with your schedule. We have a variety of events for a variety of interests!