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Looking out of my office window in the Student Union, I can see the University of Illinois quad filled with students passing out flyers for upcoming service projects and selling baked goods to raise money for student organizations as their peers rush to class.
With so many competing demands in college, I have always wondered what motivates certain students to get involved in campus and community causes, while others choose to focus their attention elsewhere. College students today have tremendous opportunities to round out and enhance their education, both inside and outside the classroom, as they serve others.
Feeling a bit nostalgic, I recall my transition to college and the student groups I participated in during my undergraduate years at UCLA. As a freshman entering a new phase of life, all of the possibilities on campus seemed overwhelming! Even though I had been very involved in high school, this new environment was intimidating, with hundreds of student groups to join, thousands of new people to meet and seemingly infinite opportunities in which to invest my time and energy.
On such a large campus, I often felt insignificant and overlooked, not knowing where I fit in or how I could contribute. I later realized that this feeling not only pervades college campuses, but it also affects many individuals in society at large who are searching for meaning and purpose in their lives.
While working to balance my studies and part-time job (along with everything else that comes with transitioning to a new place!), I became aware of service opportunities that existed on campus, and my desire to contribute to something larger than myself began to grow. Over the next few months, I saw many of my friends become members of various campus organizations, and I also began to seek out specific needs in my new community where I could serve and contribute.
During my sophomore year, I joined our residence hall council, through which I had the opportunity to help make decisions that benefited other students living on campus. In this role, I was no longer simply a resident. Now I was serving and advocating for my peers. It was through this experience that I learned first hand the significant impact that can be achieved through a collaborative team effort in which everyone shares a common purpose and a commitment to serving the larger needs of a residential community.
As I gained a broader perspective, I began to better see how godly service is so far removed from the typical human motivation of acquiring power and status. It truly only comes from a desire to serve others, while developing character and being a positive influence wherever a person finds oneself in life. While I'm still a work in progress, I have learned that when we serve without promoting the self and place the emphasis on others and meeting their needs, we emulate Jesus Christ's supreme example of service (Mark 10:45).
Getting involved in service activities and organizations while in college, in addition to serving in our local church congregations, helps lay the foundation for lifelong service and builds necessary character for future leadership roles in the Kingdom of God (Revelation 5:10). Let's be more than just members of a congregation or an organization. Let's be a part of God's larger solution for everlasting change through giving of our lives in serving others today. VT
Here's what other students and recent college graduates had to say when asked, "What campus/community organizations did you join in college, and what did you learn from your involvement?"
I got involved heavily with organizations surrounding my major,
as I saw it as a good networking opportunity to be with people who
have similar career paths. It has proven useful since graduating from
college. I also did volunteer work at youth camps outside the college
atmosphere.Staying connected with organizations and groups that
align with your spiritual beliefs will strengthen and ground you.
—Male graduate student, Missouri
My spiritual beliefs really drove my motivation to be involved
in service work. If you really believe that God loves all people and
does not play favorites, then there really is no excuse for not helping
those who happen to be in less fortunate circumstances than yourself.
The Bible is filled with exhortations to help the poor, the vulnerable
and the sick. For me, college was an amazing opportunity to channel
my energy for helping others through some of the many, many service
organizations thriving on my campus.
—Female graduate student, California
Through my participation in service-learning trips to North Carolina
and Mississippi, I worked with people of different religious backgrounds
to repair hurricane-damaged homes. I found these experiences to be
instrumental in helping me develop the attitude and attributes of
servant leadership—both through serving where needs exist and
being a "light" to others of various backgrounds (Matthew 5:14-16).
These projects also forced me to expand my view of service as something
to practice outside the Church as well as inside.
—Female graduate student, North Carolina
Through my involvement in the Biomedical Engineering Society in
graduate school, I saw the value of working for something for which
you aren't necessarily compensated. This experience helped me put
Colossians 3:23 into practice, because it doesn't say, "And whatever
youdo, do it heartily as long as you get paid for it accordingly." The
glory of our service goes directly back to God.
—Male graduate student, California
Here are some great books and publications that can help you learn more about serving others. The first four can be found in bookstores and libraries; the last two can be found free on the Internet at our Web sites:'
Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference by Susan Komives, Nance Lucas and Timothy McMahon (2006).
Insights on Leadership: Service, Stewardship, Spirit and Servant-Leadershipby Larry Spears (1998).
On Becoming a Servant Leaderby Robert Greenleaf, Don Frick and Larry Spears (1996).
Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest by Peter Block (1993).
"The Lesson of Foot Washing"by Jerold Aust (The Good News, March/April 1997, online at GNmagazine.org).
"Credibility: Vital for Service"by Stephen Clark (Vertical Thought, July-September 2005, online at VerticleThought.org)
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