NAITSA is hosting their annual volunteer fair on Oct. 16 and 17 to connect students with opportunities to give back to the community. Students can visit booths of various nonprofit organizations and learn how they can get involved. Katelyn Golby, Ooks Life Volunteer Coordinator, explained that “the volunteer fair is bringing not-for-profits to campus so that students can meet with representatives one-on-one … it’s just trying to get it to students that maybe don’t have the opportunity or the network to find not-for-profits to work for or volunteer for.”
Vendors will be set up on CAT Main Street on Wednesday and in South Lobby on Thursday. Networking and socializing are important aspects of the event. The fair is supposed to be an open environment so that students can explore around and reach out to organizations that interest them. As Golby explained, “It’s not anything formal … students can go around to each table and they can talk for as long or as little as they want to.”
For students short on time, Golby recommended to “maybe do a walk around of the [non-profits] … see the ones that interest you. If you can’t talk to them right then, maybe come back.” Not all organizations will be there both days, so Golby suggested ensuring students talk to their “top five,” as the event will likely be busy.
Events like this are important for students who are busy or don’t feel like they have the time to search for somewhere to volunteer. “It’s a little easier, I find, for students to work with not-for-profits if there’s an event in place, because we’re busy … like we have so much work to do with school, so sometimes we put off things like volunteering.”
But Golby encouraged students to get involved, as volunteering is a great resume booster. NAITSA has a number of ways to recognize volunteers, including digital medals for certain numbers of hours. They also recognize volunteers at a special gala at the end of the year.
“If you work 10 hours, you get your bronze medal, and you get recognized at the end of the year volunteer gala, which we hold at Ernest’s. It’s like a supper/awards night, but it’s just for volunteers.”
Volunteers get a certificate that states the number of hours they volunteered, which can help volunteers in their professional lives. The certificate looks great on a resume and their efforts are recorded in their involvement record, which can help them get scholarships and bursaries.
Golby also explained that volunteering is great for meeting other students and mental health.
“There’s a lot of networking opportunity within our events … and I know students come back to find more friends,” she said. “Also, of course … we’re giving back to the community, which makes yourself feel good, but it also makes the community a little bit brighter.”
If students can’t attend the fair, there are other ways to find volunteer opportunities through NAITSA’s news board on their website. Organizations can post when and where they need volunteers, which NAITSA shares with students. There’s also a newsletter that NAITSA sends with more ways to get involved. “They just send us what’s going on this month and where they need volunteers,” explained Golby. “Those are both good ways for students to find external volunteer opportunities.”
Students can stop by the fair to find opportunities for them in CAT on Wednesday Oct. 16 and South Lobby on Thursday, Oct. 17 between 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM both days. Head to the Ooks Life event page for more details.
Cover photo via NAITSA (A shovel in dirt at last year’s volunteer event, Root for Treets.)
