Lend a helping hand

By Scott Glidewell, Staff Writer

The Office of Student Life will host a Volunteer Fair from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12, in the College Union.

Community Engagement coordinator Jon Horinek said the fair is an opportunity for community service agencies to explain what their organizations do and to recruit new volunteers.

“The fair is designed to highlight opportunities for volunteer service where OCCC students are needed,” Horinek said.

Horinek said he expects a turnout of between 12 and 15 different agencies this year.

The Regional Food Bank, American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity, among others, will be present at this year’s fair.

Horinek said volunteering is a great way for students to learn life skills and to challenge assumptions about the world around them.

“Participation in community service is the best way to become a well-rounded student and citizen,” Hor-inek said. “Volunteering is one of the few things people can do where they can make an immediate, tangible impact on people’s lives.”

Horinek said students who volunteer report having a greater understanding of themselves and their community.

“Plus, it is often a lot of fun,” he said.

Another way that volunteering can help students is with their résumés and college applications, Horinek said. Many applications now provide areas where applicants can fill in volunteer work. Horinek said many scholarships and employers are even beginning to require some volunteer work.

According to figures from the Office of Student Life, OCCC has more than 2,000 students offering more than 10,000 hours of volunteer service each academic year.

Staff Writer Scott Glidewell can be reached at StaffWriter1@occc.edu.

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