With everyone trying to hustle through this semester, it can be a rewarding experience to volunteer for a good cause. Some of us at Penn State volunteer with THON or the Red Cross, but students like Peace Corps ambassador Caroline Keyser go above and beyond. Keyser has been volunteering since she was in elementary school, and now — as a senior at Penn State — she is president of the Mortar Board Senior Honors Society, which recognizes outstanding seniors who are dedicated to service. For Keyser, volunteering is something she’s committed to for life. We sat down with her to learn more about her love for service.
HC: Where does your passion for volunteering come from?
CK: I’ve always loved to donate my time to different causes in the community since I was in grade school. Volunteering my time or helping others is such a rewarding process, as I can see the impact it has and how grateful these people are for my service. When I was younger, I used to help at the food bank in Philadelphia. We would bring donated foods to the location early in the morning and would even cook warm breakfasts for the individuals coming in. Seeing their smiling faces and hearing their ‘thank yous’ was all the validation I needed to know that what I was doing was where I belonged. From moments like these, my passion and drive to seek out volunteer opportunities within my local communities have grown and hopefully continue.
HC: Why did you want to become a Peace Corps ambassador?
CK: I first heard about the opportunity to become the student ambassador at Penn State for the Peace Corps through last year’s representative. I knew about the Peace Corps growing up as the best volunteer opportunity you could be a part of, but did not know how I could get involved until now. I saw this internship as a fantastic opportunity to show my love for volunteering with such an amazing and prestigious non-profit organization and I hope to continue this one day by becoming a Peace Corps volunteer for 27 months!
HC: What do you do as an ambassador?
CK: As an ambassador, I work with coordinators of Penn State and other schools to supply students with the option of joining a volunteer group after graduation. We recently had a booth at Penn State’s C.A.R.E. Fair educating students on the alternative option to serve. We gather information from students here at Penn State to report back to headquarters to create a great base of Peace Corps Volunteers here in the Happy Valley. I also keep a strong social media presence posting interesting articles released from Peace Corp official sites using the hashtag #peacecorpsoncampus.
HC: Does this position affect your future decisions in any way?
CK: Of course! I had decided that I did not want to continue my education past my B.S. in Health Policy Administration here at Penn State and was set on entering the workforce. But, with this position, my life in the Peace Corps sounds like a great option to continue to do something I’m passionate about while also fueling my love for growth and travel.
HC: What has been your favorite thing about being an ambassador so far?
CK: My favorite thing about being an ambassador so far has been the stories. We as a Penn State community have a lot of returning Peace Corps volunteers who hold positions as graduate students as well as faculty and staff. I have had the opportunity to speak to a couple of them and the stories and memories they bring back from serving are incredible. Hearing about their experiences fills my heart with such joy and can only excite me for what might lie ahead in my own future with the Peace Corps.
HC: Moving on to your position as President of Mortar Board Senior Honors Society, can you talk a little bit about what members do or what the honor society is in general?
CK: The Mortar Board Senior Honor Society is compiled of seniors or those of senior status here at Penn State who have shown extensive dedication to our three pillars: Scholarship, Leadership, and Service. Our senior status members dedicate their time to the three pillars each week through different leadership positions they hold around campus, spending countless hours with their studies, as well as service trips throughout the community.
HC: What made you want to join Mortar Board?
CK: I joined Mortar Board in February of 2016 after I had been nominated. After I was nominated, I decided to apply as I saw it as a fantastic opportunity to become personally connected with other well rounded student leaders at Penn State. Personally, I find that many student leaders on campus who hold leadership position lose sight of our end goal: graduating with honors, not climbing the social ladder to become the next president or executive director of an organization. Being selected as a member of Mortar Board has been an honor and I can proudly say I stand beside other strong females, like former secretary Condoleezza Rice, as a Mortar Boarder for life.
HC: What does the honor society mean to you as the president?
CK: I’m involved in many things on campus, but Mortar Board is my pride and joy. I recently gave a speech alongside President Barron at the President’s Dinner showcasing the Woman of Penn State and as the president of an originally all-female honor society, I could not be more proud to wear silver and gold. I feel a huge responsibility to make an impact with my time in office and it is my goal to leave a legacy behind while creating a strong foundation in the Penn State community for future students.