Are you passionate about helping people? Do you know what a huge difference volunteer work can make on your resume? The majority of the students at UIUC focus on getting internships and part-time jobs related to their majors, but what students don’t catch onto is that volunteer work carries the same importance as internships and other side projects.
The good news is that you can incorporate your passion for volunteering into your career plan. There are limitless opportunities for students to find non-profit and non-paid internships related to their majors. Corporations and firms, such as American Express, highly value community service oriented work just as much as paid internships. They “encourage good citizenship by supporting organizations that cultivate meaningful opportunities,” which basically means that American Express prefers their employees to engage in community service.
It is true that the trend of valuing experiences related to ethics is gaining momentum. UIUC has some of the highest reputed volunteer organizations in the country, and students should definitely take advantage of this.
There are boundless chances to volunteer in a way that enhances your field of study. For example, students who are studying anything medicine-related are encouraged to join Advocate Health Care, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation or World Vision Foundation, which are all offered on the UIUC campus. On a more independent level, students could help their community by organizing free health checkups and provide vital health-care tips in low-income areas around Illinois and the Midwest.
If willing, students can also travel across the country or around the world to volunteer. Collegiates can also join specific nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) geared towards medical studies like Doctors Without Borders, which allows students to travel to developing or conflicted areas to help people in desperate need of health care. This is just one example of opportunities that a major could offer. Nearly every major has a variety of prospects similar to this one.
Not sure about your major yet? There are many community service opportunities that compliment any and all majors. You’d be surprised at the numerous organizations and clubs at our very own campus that are open to public. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Make-A-Wish Foundation, American Red Cross and UNICEF, just to name a few, are open to students from all majors.
It is also possible for students to travel abroad for non-profit work no matter your major nonprofit organizations like the Peace Corps or Teach America allows young college students to travel with other volunteers in abroad countries. Employers today prefer graduates who have been involved in nonprofit work. Not only does volunteering help your chances of landing your dream job, but it also provides self-satisfaction and an experience of a lifetime.
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