Volunteering is a great way to expand your resume and become a more well-rounded person. Doing volunteer work is very rewarding and even in the time of COVID-19, there are many opportunities to do so safely. The Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement has opportunities for students to get involved in volunteering and to help their communities.
Concetta D’Alessio, the assistant director at the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement (SLCE), said, “Volunteering, in general, has a bit of a dip this year. I think we usually see more students, either on their own or are more involved with our office. I mean, this year, in regards to [COVID-19, it] has really affected students’ willingness to help the community.”
Due to COVID-19 and the regulations surrounding the pandemic, SLCE has been unable to do off-campus civic engagement to the extent they have done in the past. However, like other offices, they have found ways of being able to modify their work to encourage safety for their students while still being involved with community service.
“There have been a lot of other ways that we’ve had to be creative in ways that we can still support the community and help to make an impact,” D’Alessio said.
With COVID-19, the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement has been introducing hybrid experiences for volunteering, such as them working with remote students to help their local animal shelters by making DIY dog toys from recycled clothes. Other service projects have included making hygiene packages and feeding the homeless. There are many opportunities for students to get involved and help their communities in a variety of ways.
With the semester coming to a close, SLCE has wrapped up their volunteering projects for this year. If you are interested in doing volunteer work next semester, reach out to their office for more information on upcoming service projects. You can contact the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement at (954) 262-7195 or email them at slce@nova.edu.
