I've grown up being a community service enthusiast. I'm not exactly sure how or why I became interested in it but for as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed doing community service and have tried to make it a part of my life, even when I came to college.
Once accepted to NYU, I began rummaging through all the materials I had collected at info. sessions and open houses and came across a postcard advertising this program called OutReach. I went to the website and poked around, quickly becoming eager to apply...even though that meant waiting a few more months for the application to be created and made available. So being the overenthusiastic person that I am, I emailed NYU to find out more about it and waited, probably not so patiently, for the application to go live. I applied and was later accepted into a program that would change my entire college experience!
So just a quick summary of what OutReach is all about:
It's a 3.5 day "orientation" to community service in NYC for new NYU students (freshmen and transfers) that happens the week preceding Welcome Week (University-wide orientation). Students move in to their residence halls on Wednesday, meet up with the group at 4 or 5pm and quickly become involved in NYC life. We do 3 community service projects throughout all 5 boroughs and we venture out into NYC each night to fun events going on. This group of new students is chaperoned by returning OutReachers who have volunteered to come back and serve as leaders.
So, after an incredible experience my freshman year, I was sure to apply to become a leader--and I was accepted. A few weeks later another email was sent out to all accepted leaders that there was a coordinator position available and they'd be accepting applications. So, again, I applied...and was accepted! I spent a significant amount of that summer planning the program with 3 other coordinators and returned to NYU in late August to serve as leader and coordinator and have a great time and make more friends who I am still in close contact with!
For OutReach '07 I served as coordinator again, this time with 3 new co-coordinators. It was the most successful OutReach. We had a great group of students and some of the best student leaders at NYU serving as our leaders. I couldn't have asked for anything more at this summer's program. By the last night I was crying when I got up in front of all 100+ people to speak. It was a phenomenal experience.
Anyway, the reason I'm bringing all of this up is because last Friday we had our OutReach reunion. Since I'm such a busy person, as is the rest of the OutReach community, it is often difficult for us to arrange get togethers to just catch up so we all always look forward to the reunion. It was a success and getting to spend a few hours over delicious food while getting filled in on what's going on in my friends' lives was so much fun. I really treasure all of my OutReach memories, the friends I have made, and I often speak of the experiences I have had through the program and the things I have learned from them.
NYU also has the Office of Community Service which is an amazing resource for anyone even remotely interested in volunteering and doing any type of community service. The staff in that department is extremely nice and helpful and coordinates great events for all NYU students.
I also have the Steinhardt Day of Service event coming up this weekend which, as Vice President, I am responsible for coordinating. I have arranged two on site projects (making SurgiDolls and PB&J sandwiches to be delivered to the Bowery Mission). I am also working with two local soup kitchens (St. Joseph's and Nativity Church) to have volunteers help out for a few hours, along with one other program coordinated through the Office of Community Service. I am looking forward to Saturday and helping to get Steinhardt students more involved in the community--even if it is only for a few hours once a semester!