“So, pretty much what we do is sit at this desk and give out keychains, right?” Volunteering at the registration desk of my university's open house sounded like such an easy task. Then the rush came. Soon I was giving directions, explaining workshops, pointing people to tours and bantering about majors, dorms and roommates (affectionately of course, since my roommate was my partner at the desk). I was constantly smiling, helping people and telling them how great my school really is.
And I loved it.
There's an old saying that charity begins at home. In a way, when you live away at college, your school becomes your home. Soup kitchens, elementary schools and hospitals are wonderful places to volunteer, but why not also consider volunteer opportunities at your own school? They pay off immensely in satisfaction and help build your school into the kind of community that you would like to live in. And if that's not enough for you, some of these may help you land a killer job after graduation.
Here are just a few suggestions of the kinds of things that need to be done on most campuses:
Recruitment activities
This is what I did. From open houses, to college fairs, to tours, these are very important to your school in terms of spreading the word and improving your name. Usually you just have to talk to prospective students and parents about your own experiences or program requirements. Your main role here, though, is often just being that smiling face they remember when it's time to apply.
In addition to improving the profile of your school and helping high school seniors sort out the college application process, these activities are usually coordinated by deans and higher-ups in the administration. It's a good way to make personal contact with these people. And since you made them look good, they will usually lavish you with praise and thanks.
Freshman Orientation
Were you lost or confused when you were a freshman? If you were, then you know how important orientation volunteers are. Orientation volunteers generally help freshmen schedule classes, show them how to get around campus, and just help ease them through the tough transition to college. This is usually more of a time commitment than a one-day event, but the payoff is great in that you have a chance to profoundly help lots of very scared freshmen.
Tutoring
Many colleges have free tutoring programs staffed entirely by volunteers. The basic concept is that students who have taken and excelled in certain classes can then tutor students currently enrolled in these classes. Students are better at helping other students because they understand what might be hard and are on approximately the same level. This may not seem like the most fun way to spend your time, but it is extremely good for you, as well as for the school community. By tutoring, you are cementing and reinforcing your own academic skills, and you are developing teaching skills and experience which especially helps if you are planning to go into education or academia.
Mentoring
Not all colleges have mentoring programs, but if yours does I highly recommend getting involved with it. Mentors (or Big Brother/ Big Sisters) have a one-on-one relationship with younger students, and basically help get them through college. Younger students have someone to tell them about professors, classes, dining halls, dorms and anything else that is confusing or complex. These relationships have the potential to be very rich, and in my opinion the mentor stands to gain as much from it as the mentee.
These are, of course, just a few of the many school-based volunteer opportunities available. They may seem like just something extra to work into your schedule, but you might just find them fun and satisfying and be glad for the chance to give back to your school community. And at the end of the day, maybe you'll find that your new home is better for it.
This article originally appeared on MakingItCount.com.
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