Whether she is traveling around Spain, studying culture and technology in Cordoba, or relaxing at home in Dix Hills, New York, Lauren Crupnick does it all. Lauren is a Union College Scholar and a passionate volunteer. These are the reasons Lauren Crupnick is Union College’s first Campus Celebrity.
HC: What is your major?
LC: I am a psychology major and a Spanish minor. My professor convinced me to be a Spanish minor after struggling for two hours at office hours. She told me how important it is to be fluent in another language, which I realized was true. She kind of guilt-tripped me into it, but I love it.
HC: What drove you to start the Habitat for Humanity here at Union College?
LC: When I was 12, [my family] was giving away stuff, like a washing machine. My mom was going to just throw it away, but I urged her to donate it. So I called around, and we found an amazing family involved in HFH. In high school, I was involved in a program that worked with HF called Interact. Once or twice a year, we would build. At Union’s pre-orientation, I was so excited to be involved in the program, but I found out there hadn’t been one since 2011. I contacted the dean and decided to restart the program.
HC: What is a typical day of work when you volunteer with HFH?
LC: Typically, I am the board member, which means I wake up very early since not many people want to. We have to run and catch the bus to get to the work site. At each house, we meet the site leader. Most of the time it is the same site leader, but there are a few, and I have maintained a good relationship with all of them. For work, we have inside tasks and outside tasks, organizing and also helping people who are already there. There are two shifts that we work in. There is the 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and then 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is awesome because we get lunch made for us from the lunch crew. It’s nice to feel appreciated.
HC: What aspect of HFH feels most rewarding for you?
LC: Every family has a certain amount of hours they have to put into the site. I remember the first time I saw the family working on their own house. It was amazing to work alongside them and see the people that you are working for. It made me realize you are working with the family, and you could see the impact you made on their lives. It’s by far the most rewarding part.
HC: Are there other organizations at Union College that you are involved in?
LC: Yes. I am a part of Colleges Against Cancer. Big Brother, Big Sister and Tri Delta. I am a Scholar at Union as well. Hands down, HFH is my favorite program I am involved in. HFH always comes first, and then my schoolwork.
HC: What is your hope for the future of Union College’s HFH program?
LC: My Scholars research is on HFH. I am trying to get a speaker to come in March to present at our school and talk to students about the positive impact of the program. I am making a future plan so that it doesn’t fail like it did in 2011. I want to make members more involved. My other board member, Bre Derella, and I always talk about a trip within or outside of the US, which I really hope we can accomplish one day!