Alejandra Romero, volunteer coordinator of CSN SERVES
By Rodrigo Vazquez
In a time when many seem to be stretching their last dollar it becomes easy to lose a sense of generosity. Students who are part of CSN Serves, a learning-through-service program, know this better than most. They are willing to lend a helping hand to the community by volunteering to help dozens of non-profit organizations.
CSN Serves has aided the greater Las Vegas community since it was founded in 2010. The program focuses on getting students involved in bettering their city through volunteering. On September 14 they helped Three Square Food Bank package food to be given to the various pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in the city.
Linda Foreman, a sociology professor at the College is among the biggest supporters of the program. “I require my students to track a certain amount of volunteer hours with CSN Serves every semester.” When asked why she encouraged volunteering she responded, “Service learning … gives students networking potentials, skills, and raises the level of community.”
Volunteer coordinator Alejandra Romero stressed the importance of helping out those less fortunate. “You can make a huge difference in your community just by giving a couple hours a week. It’s not about giving money, but time.” While volunteering may seem like a selfless act it is extremely beneficial to the student. Students volunteering more than 25 hours are awarded the Presidential Recognition Award: a certificate and letter given by the president of the college.
According to CSN Serves approximately 8000 hours were clocked in by 456 students at the College last semester. Yet Romero hopes that more people will begin to get involved. “Volunteering gives real life experience. It allows the students to be able to step into a classroom and relate the topics being covered with real issues in the community. But the real prize is the warm feeling in your heart knowing that by giving a little bit of your time, you can make a huge impact.”
Coyote Student News at the College of Southern Nevada 