By LAUREN MCDONALD The Brunswick News
Alysia Johnson, a career and student employment counselor at College of Coastal Georgia, urges students to volunteer during their college careers.
Students who volunteer not only grow from the work, she said, but they also get the experiences they need before graduating and starting their first jobs.
“Since I work in Career Services, I encourage students to volunteer, to build a résumé and to ensure that they’ve chosen the right major and make sure they’re on the right path,” Johnson said.
College of Coastal Georgia hosted a community service fair on Tuesday to connect students with opportunities to volunteer in the community.
Nearly 20 nonprofit organizations came out to the event in hopes of recruiting students.
Nancy Krabill said she wanted to sign up at least 25 students to volunteer with FaithWorks ministry, an organization that provides shelter, clothes, food and pastoral care for families in need.
“These kids are at such a great point for volunteering because they’re at that turning point in their lives where they’re exploring different things, or maybe they’re interested in a couple of different fields, so volunteering is a great way to start out,” she said.
Krabill, director of volunteer ministries with FaithWorks, said she actually began as a volunteer herself.
Students who volunteer with FaithWorks can work in the Sparrow’s Nest, a clearinghouse for about 40 churches who wish to help community members in need through financial assistance and a food pantry. Or volunteers will work at The Well, a hospitality day center for people who are homeless.
“Volunteering offers you a window into someone’s life that’s very different from your own, and based on that it allows you to grow and consider other opportunities for yourself,” Krabill said. “Students are at a great point to be volunteers.”
Kari Dent, a volunteer with the Cumberland Island National Seashore, a U.S. National Park, said student volunteers will be able to work in the park’s museum and with its curator.
And a history major would especially enjoy working there, she said.
“Volunteerism can lead to jobs, and it’s a great way to get a lot of experience,” Dent said.
CCGA student Garrett Cook, a junior, signed up Tuesday to volunteer with the Jekyll Island Authority to work at the upcoming Shrimp and Grits Festival.
“It’s just fun joining an organization and being a part of a group,” he said.