,
a .
, ..
John Fluellen
Communications
"Michael is just being
Michael. He always has
to be in the public eye.
No matter what, every
year he gives everyone
something to talk about."
Brooke Jumbelick
Communications
"Strange, very strange.
Very rich, but still very
strange."
Ryan Sweeney
Communications
"Mike is misunderstood
Besides, he can be as
strange as he wants.
The man's got money!"
Sara Cottrell
Experimental Psychology
"Jacko is wacko!"
Community
widesprea ii
Central P. A e
related to partying or loud
music, you have largely
underestimated the students of the new millen
nium. In fact, local college students, including
Penn State are volunteering their time to the
needs of the community.
From helping students within the cam
pus to reaching out to those in the community,
college students have taken their former role as
slackers and reconstructed themselves to create
a promising look for the future.
At Widener University, students are
volunteering as Widener Big Friends, an after
school program in conjunction with St. Paul
AME Church. "The undergrads work with area
middle schoolers on homework and activities,"
says Karen Toth, director of public and media
relations. While most of the interactions take
place on the Chester campus, students at the
Harrisburg branch also work with local children
on their schoolwork.
Widener also works with Swarthmore
College and Bethany Baptist Church to provide
tutoring services for children up through grade
8 at the Chester YMCA. Children participate in
four-day enrichment activities such as book
writing and computer workshops as well.
Community service is also the theme
for students who participate in Circle K
International. Shippensburg, Penn State
Harrisburg, and HACC all take part in this col
legiate-level service organization sponsored by
the Kiwanis Club. Students assist in such char
ities as Habitat for Humanity, cooking meals
for Ronald McDonald House, visiting the chil
dren's hospital at Penn State Milton Hershey
Center, volunteering at Messiah Village
Nursing home as well as any other community
service or college campus service that needs
assistance.
HACC Circle K President Ashley
Fisher says she became involved in Circle K
because of the people and the feeling of self
worth when helping others. "When an individ
ual, either a child who just turned nine or a sen
ior citizen who turned 99, gives you admiration
and love, it makes you feel needed," she
explains. "It is a feeling of self-worth that
reminds me that so many others need the same
attention that I have just given them."
The Lion Ambassadors of Penn State
Harrisburg are similar to Circle K, offering
community and campus service as needed. The
club does service projects such as giving tours
to prospective students, raising money for the
children's hospital, volunteering at the
Middletown home, participating in the
American Walk for Diabetes, holding Easter
egg hunts for children, working hand-in-hand
with the Alumni Association, participating in
BY RACHEL SHEPHERD
Capital Times Staff Reporter
What's new on
college campuses this
year? If you say anything
service
amo - n
co le,,,es
canned food drives as well as assisting with
mentor programs.
"I love the community service," says
Jessica Schally, president. "I enjoy getting to
know people on campus and interacting with
the younger crowd, since I am a non-traditional
student."
The uniqueness of both Circle K and
the Lion Ambassadors is their existence outside
of campus life. "We are active but we are rep
resenting PSU outside [of the campus], not just
here," explains Valerie Crown, treasurer of the
Lion Ambassadors.
Dickinson College established a
"Treehouse" as their community effort at envi-
ronmental awareness. This treehouse represents
the college's center for sustainable living. The
students who live at the house promise to con
serve natural resources and protect the environ
ment. The members of the house educate each
other and the college community about envi
ronmental issues and sustainability. They act as
a liaison between the students of the college
and the Carlisle community for issues concern
ing sustainability and environmental student
activism.
Over spring break, Elizabethtown
College and Widener University will continue
to work with Habitat for Humanity. Ed Novak,
Director of College Relations at Elizabethtown,
says their motto is "Educate for Service." He
says they typically have a couple of groups
doing Habitat for Humanity-type of work over
spring break, but is uncertain what the group
plans to do yet. Widener University is organiz
ing their 6th Annual Alternative Spring Break,
where students will travel to Miami and work
as part of the Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate
Challenge program. Twenty-five students this
year are participating in Alternative Spring
Break, according to Dan DiPrinzio, public rela
tions head at the university.
If you thought college students were
just going along for the ride, think again. These
students are dedicated to meeting the needs of
their schools as well as their community.