Click on the links below to read about some student experiences with service learning at Waynesburg College.

The service experiences that I have had through Waynesburg College have helped me to broaden my worldview and grow in my faith. Whether it is teaching English to international refugees in Austria, or playing silly games with orphans in Guatemala, my service experiences have allowed me to see how God works in places outside of the United States- places outside of my comfort zone. My service experiences over the past four years have played a large role in my education. I truly have learned a lot in the classroom at Waynesburg College, but an education is not worth a whole lot if you are unable to relate it to the real world. Being afforded the opportunity to serve so many people while being in college has taught me to be a servant-leader, something that will be of great value to my future employer.

Service has changed my life, my career path! The experiences that I have endured have been amazing. From throwing the football around at Open Door, to painting the walls at a retreat center, to picking up trash along the highways of Waynesburg, or holding in my arms an infant dying from AIDS in Haiti. Service has taken me to many different areas of the United States, as well as overseas, and each trip has been equally important.

Overall, what would my college experience have been like without my service? It would have been, well, average. I would have had the traditional role of an athlete and student who goes to class and then practice, a very ordinary life. Service has made college an extraordinary experience for me, and has developed me into the person that I am today, ready to meet my professional world with confidence, and never to overlook the potential in an area or a person!

Participating in community service both in college and today has exposed me to the problems plaguing society, and has also allowed me to witness the kindness, dedication, and power of those committed to making a difference. The work needing to be done is overwhelming, yet so many of us continue to serve and by doing so spread that message of hope. While in college, I served children and helped with home repairs at the Pittsburgh Project. Today, I continue to serve in my community and within Philadelphia. I am a counselor for my church youth group, have helped in the restoration of the Valley Forge National Historic Park, and have assisted with various Christmas Drives.

Community Service allowed me to take a step back from academic activities as a student at Waynesburg College. There I found social awareness and citizenship that has continued to be a part of my life.

I can remember when I thought community service was a waste of time. Now I realize, through the Bonner Scholar Program, how much service has change my life. Coming from the inner-city of Baltimore I had a general idea of what kids there focused on – basketball. Through the Bonner Program I had an opportunity to travel to Nashville, Tennessee to the Andrew Jackson Boys and Girls Club, also located in the inner-city. After tutoring a student who did not want to study but only play basketball, I was stunned. Even though I knew this is what kids thought in Baltimore, I never heard it articulated. It opened my eyes and now I know I want to open up a non-profit agency of my own to focus on education of kids and their families. I want my program to incorporate everything from computer classes to parenting skills. Through my time at Waynesburg College and the Bonner Scholars Program, I have fully realized my place in society and in Christ.

The Bonner Program provided me with the opportunity to go to Australia and stay there for a month doing service with the Aborigines and learning more about an international culture. I can truthfully say that it was the most amazing trip of my life. I have also participated in trips to Caretta, West Virginia, to Philadelphia, and to Nashville. Seeing the two extremes of poverty: Philly with its inner-city poverty, and Caretta, with its rural poverty, has broadened my horizons and understanding of those who need our help. These trips have helped me understand how social issues apply to both types of regions, and what we can do to help.

Service is truly something that should be a lifetime goal; and my experience here has ingrained and demonstrated to me the need to serve those less fortunate, just as Christ did.