Modern-day college students are viewed as lazy. They nap when they should be doing their work. They spend hours on AIM, Facebook or watching TV marathons. They are either drunk or hung-over for the majority of the week. Right?
The results of a new national study combat this stereotype of lazy college students and suggest that they may be putting their time to better use – and even helping others in the process.
The number of college-student volunteers has sharply increased by 20 percent between 2002 and 2005, with 3.3 million students volunteering nationwide in 2005, according to “College Students Helping America,” the study sponsored by The Corporation for National and Community Service, released in October.
“The rise in college student volunteering and the growing campus support for service are hopeful signs for the future of civic involvement in America,” said Steve Goldsmith, the Chairman of the Board of the Corporation.
Here at Fairfield over one third of the estimated 4000 undergraduate students participated in community service on a regular basis during the 2005-2006 academic year, according to data compiled for the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. When looking at last year’s numbers in comparison to this past semester, there is an even further expected increase in participation, according to Wylie Smith Blake, the director of community service on campus.
Melissa Quan, the former director of community service on campus and coordinator for the Service Learning program, noticed this increase through her own personal experiences.
“During my four years as director, the level of service on campus has definitely increased. There is a real focus right now on civic engagement and getting students involved,” said Quan.
Quan and the national report both credit this new level of engagement as a possible result from the tragedies of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
“People get inspired with such tragic events and they naturally fall into the pattern of volunteering. It is like a shock to the system,” she said.
FUSA President Hutch Williams ’08 agreed that while “the unfortunate events do stir up some emotions” for some students, he says, “I would hate to take away credit from students who have always realized and believed that giving back is a wonderful thing.”
One Fairfield student helping America, is Rick Cayer ’07. As the co-leader of the McGivney Center, an after school tutoring program in Bridgeport and a participant in last summer’s service trip to New Orleans, Cayer values how service has increased his awareness.
“It gives me a better glimpse of the bigger picture,” he said. “Coming from a financially stable family and going to school in Fairfield County make it really easy to ignore the poverty problem,” he said.
Cayer’s fellow leader at the McGivney Center, Kim Buesking ’09, agrees that her participation “has made me a lot more thankful for what I have and the luxuries that I have always felt are normal,” she said.
In addition to a strong desire to aid the community, students also come into college better prepared, with the majority of high schools now very involved with community service.
Emily Martucci ’08 has been a community service volunteer “for as long as she can remember.
“When I came to college, I looked for service opportunities because it only seemed natural,” she said. “I think I would have felt like a part of my life was missing if I wasn’t doing any service here.”
At Fairfield, she regularly helps out at the North End Boys and Girls Club in Bridgeport, Habitat for Humanity, Hunger Clean-Up, Park City Sweep and various service trips to Lebanon, Penn.; Mexicali; and Tijuana, Mexico.
In line with the national report, after school programs are also the most popular type of service for Fairfield students.
“People like them because they are upbeat,” Smith Blake explained. “The kids are so happy to see you and many students consider it a break and a type of stress relief.”
Martucci added, “No matter how stressed I am or how much work I have to do that week, I always forget about it while I’m there because I just relax and have fun. In that way, the experience is giving back to me more than I give to it.”
In addition to these programs through campus ministry, Williams emphasized that many student groups on campus are finding unique outlets for service.
“Fairfield is unique in that we have the poorest city in Connecticut just to the north of us. People are moving in the right direction, learning by example and can physically see the difference they are making – especially on the local level,” said Williams.
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