Mentoring, tutoring, visiting nursing homes and working with charities are some of the services University students can provide to the local community.

University alumna Amy Sponsler, director of the Office of Volunteer Programs, remembers trying to find her way around campus.

“Being a freshman, the socialization aspect was big,” Sponsler said. “I’m from a very small farm town, so I was the only one here from my high school. I volunteered to get that sense of community.”

Through volunteer work, students are able to explore not only their surrounding campus, but also the local community.

“It’s important to leave this bubble that is campus and become a part of the community,” Sponsler said. “It’s part of our responsibility to give back. Make an impact.”

Allison Wolfe, senior in Education, found her perfect service project during Quad Day of her freshman year. Wolfe is now the co-director of the University YMCA’s tutoring program “Vis-A-Vis.”

“I don’t want to sound clich‚, but it’s so fulfilling,” Wolfe said. “To be honest, being director can be stressful. But in the end when we see how many volunteer hours helped how many children, it’s really amazing. I can say that I was a part of that – I helped to make that happen.”

Nick Fabek, senior in Business, is the educational chair for Alternative Spring Break, an organization that sends students on fall, winter and spring break volunteer opportunities. A pre-break, post break service project and discussion group help bring what students learned on their trips to the community.

Fabek understands the challenge of being both a student and an active volunteer.

“Volunteering is a type of gradation,” Fabek said. “In high school, it’s super easy to do the volunteer projects with groups here and there. Then, you’re more selective in college because there is so much competing for your time. It is going to be even harder as an adult.”

Community service seems like a selfless act, but volunteers say they gain from their experiences.

“I think volunteering is a two-prong benefit,” Fabek said. “You help out people you’re serving. But you learn so much about yourself, about a certain issue, people, how the society works, and how you fit in with this society.”

Stu Schaff, senior in Business, interns at the University’s Office of Volunteer Programs and is the president of the Illini Mentoring Program.

“Service is a huge part of my life,” Schaff said. “Mentoring changes you … makes you grow. You really mature a lot as a person. It’s rewarding for me just seeing how much other people grow from mentoring.”

Sponsler agreed that there are many benefits to volunteering.

“First and foremost, volunteering is fun.” Sponsler said. “You get to know a group of students. It looks good on a resume and is attractive to employers too. But you realize how much can be accomplished with the power of a group.”

Since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, 27 University organizations raised more than $5,000 for hurricane relief, Sponsler said.

Tackling large issues can be strenuous, but volunteering does not have to be time consuming.

“I learned it doesn’t always take a lot to make big difference,” said Wolfe, co-director of a YMCA volunteer program. “You can do a lot more than what you might realize. One or two hours a week can help someone somewhere. A little bit really does go a long way.”

On a large campus with many student organizations, everyone can find a volunteer program that fits.

“You find your interest,” Wolfe said. “Then find one of the many different ways to tap into your own interest and volunteer at the same time.”

Having already found something she loves, Wolfe invests 15 to 30 hours every week. Volunteer work is something that Wolfe plans to incorporate into her future in elementary education.

“These past two years have inspired me to continue volunteering,” Wolfe said. “I want to teach the importance of volunteering in my own classroom.”

Schaff also hopes to continue volunteering in the future.

“I plan to leave school with a finance degree, but my heart is in service,” Schaff said. “I want to use this degree, my interest in law and my love of volunteering to find a job in the non-profit sector.”

Determined to make a difference, volunteers continue their service.

“People say ‘I can’t change the world in one week,'” Fabek said. “But you can make a difference in 10 people’s lives or even one person. I think of it as baby steps. You do what you can with the time you have, but to see that look on someone’s face is amazing.”