Have you made a difference in anyone's life lately? It might seem like an odd question, but why is it one that we don't ask ourselves more often? At times it seems as if community service in a college environment has been reduced to some much needed lines in a resume and components of the greek annual review. Surveys indicate that 80 percent of Duke students engage in volunteer work at some point during their four years at Duke. However, deconstructing the nature of service being done here and the motivations for doing it can often present a less encouraging picture.
The reasons for Duke students engaging in community service seem to vary just as widely as the type of service being done. For some, the desire to serve appears to be innate. They have a sense of responsibility to help those less fortunate, they may be dedicated to a particular cause or they have faith-based reasons for serving others. Another subset of students may be participating in order to obtain recognition, fulfill requirements or boost their resume. It may even be likely that students find themselves serving with a combination of selfless and selfish motivations. The service that evolves out of these motivations, both positive and negative, can vary widely. These activities can range from sporadic short-term efforts to long-term commitments to an individual in need.
There is another portion of the Duke population that either does not participate in service at all or does so only once or twice a year. It is easy to assume that these students are merely apathetic or lazy.
However, it is also quite likely that Duke students who do not engage in service are simply too busy. Others may be poorly informed about service opportunities, selfish or disinterested.
There is certainly no shortage of volunteer activities for the uninvolved. However, students' understanding of what constitutes service is often too formalized. It should be noted that while participation in organized volunteer activities is important, we should not underestimate the value of daily acts of compassion and their potential for enacting change. Such acts can range from saying good morning to your dorm house-keeper to picking up a piece of trash. By simply becoming more aware of the needs of others, we can start on the path towards a more compassionate existence.
While serving others is necessary and commendable, it should not be done blindly, backed only by good intentions. Truly beneficial service requires a great deal of reflection in order to assess the impact of our service on those we are trying to help. Quick one-time service opportunities may make us feel temporarily good about ourselves and our contribution and they often serve as the building blocks for future deeper involvement. However, it is difficult to maximize the impact of our service when we are not fully in touch with those we are serving. Forming these relationships often requires a great deal of work and dedication and we must understand that effective service cannot always be convenient or easy.
Some students question the value of getting involved in Durham when they are only here for four years. However, the impact of our service can extend far beyond our Duke experience. Duke should be advocating service in Durham not only for the betterment of our neighbors but also for the betterment of our students. This University should commit itself to producing students capable of extending their commitment to service into all areas of their future endeavors. Our strong academic programs help to create potential leaders in a wide variety of fields. But without adequate training in public service these future leaders are not fully equipped to properly respond to the needs of those around them.
Ultimately, though, it is our responsibility to ensure that we are leading socially conscious lives. No matter what path we choose, it is important that we never lose sight of the community of which we are a part and our commitment to it. And in the long run, five, 10,or 50 years after we leave Duke, it will be these efforts for the betterment of the lives of others, not that we aced a class or attended the best parties, that will stand out as highlights.
In addition to engaging in their communities, it is also crucial that these future leaders are conscious of the deeper root causes associated with social injustice. At the core of our thought process we must question not only how we can be most effective in serving others, but why volunteer work is even necessary in the first place. Much of volunteer work offers "Band-Aid" solutions to problems whose resolutions require deeper intervention. We must strive to understand how we can use our individual skills to address these deeper issues.
This week is Community Service Week, offering the perfect opportunity to reflect on your commitment to service in your community. We encourage you to extend this thought process and movement toward action far beyond this week. Martin Luther King once said, "An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." Amid the individualistic environment often present at Duke, let us challenge ourselves to find this compassion and dedication to those around us.
Tori Hogan and Heidi Schumacher are Trinity seniors and the co-directors of the Community Service Center.
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