Volunteer Resources Opportunities

WHY VOLUNTEER? THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH VOLUNTEERING IN COLLEGE

SHORT-TERM
There are a number of positive outcomes associated with volunteering while in college. In the short-term, students who volunteer while in college are more likely to be committed to:

• Their communities
• Helping others in difficulty
• Promoting racial understanding
• Influencing social values
• Volunteering also influences the development of important life skills among undergraduates, including:
  • Leadership ability
  • Social self-confidence
  • Critical-thinking skills
  • Conflict resolution

Finally, in the short-term, volunteering while in college positively affects an undergraduates' academic development, including:

• Knowledge gained
• Grades earned
• Degrees sought after
• Time devoted to academic endeavors

(See: A.W. Astin and L.J. Sax (1998). "How Undergraduates Are Affected by Service participation." Journal of College Student Development, 39(3): 251-263.)

LONG-TERM
Service participation in college has direct effects at least through the first five years following the completion of college. In the behavioral realm, students who participate in volunteer service during college are more likely to:

• Attend graduate school
• Earn higher degrees
• Donate to one's alma mater
• Socialize with persons from different racial/ethnic groups
• Participate in volunteer/community service work

In the value realm, volunteering during college is positively associated with doing the following in the post-college years:

• Helping others in difficulty
• Participating in community action programs
• Participating in environmental clean-up programs
• Promoting racial understanding
• Developing a meaningful philosophy of life

(See: A.W. Astin, L.J. Sax and J. Avalos (1999). "Long-term Effects of Volunteerism during the Undergraduate Years." The Review of Higher Education, 22(2): 187-202.)