UWF Elevates Communities through Volunteering
By Kelly Dieckmann, University Marketing Communications
Jennifer Kunisch, a UWF senior and aspiring veterinarian, recognizes the importance of involvement in both her UWF community and the surrounding area. Not only does she like to stay active in on-campus activities such as intramural sports, but she also engages in volunteer work with organizations off campus such as the Humane Society.
“Once you tell people in the community you’re with UWF,” says Kunisch, “they automatically know that you’re committed to making a difference and hold you to a higher standard. Volunteering allows me to give back and make a difference in the world.”
Volunteering is not a one-sided activity with a single beneficiary; rather, it is multi-dimensional, benefitting the volunteer, the specific organization, the people they serve and the world. This is one of the reasons UWF places such an emphasis on its commitment to service learning. Donating time to volunteer work empowers students to make a change in the world while allowing them to gain valuable skills, develop a sound work ethic and learn life lessons that will aid them in years to come.
UWF’s strong volunteer program grows yearly and benefits both the school community and the extended community. Through the active involvement of dedicated students, the university boasts a total of 61,097 student volunteer hours for 2009-2010.
Attaching a dollar value to volunteer time is one way to put community service hours in perspective. Independent Sector, a nonprofit organization that strives to strengthen other nonprofit organizations, provides statistics for tracking an accurate dollar value of each volunteer hour, which currently in Florida equates to $18.20. By this number, UWF students have donated more than a million dollars through their volunteer efforts this year alone.
Students consult with staff members such as Tiffany Jury, assistant director for Volunteer UWF!, to discover how they can best serve the community by matching their specific skill sets to needs in the community. They donate their time in organizations such as the Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity and Hope Clinic. Students travel nationally and internationally to help.
“In the last three years we’ve seen a tremendous change with volunteering,” says Jury. “We’re part of the community, not just this hidden gem.”
UWF offers programs such as service learning, field study, group and individual volunteer work, work study in the community and alternative spring break so that students have a variety of options catering to how they would like to donate their time.
UWF encourages students to volunteer because it provides a hands-on learning experience for students, helps organizations reach their goals and makes a difference in our community.
To learn more about how UWF is elevating communities, visit uwf.edu/impact.