As a part of Florida A&M University’s welcome week, Efferson Student Union and Activities hosted the First Strike volunteer and involvement fair. The event took place earlier today in the Grand Ballroom from noon to 3 p.m.
With more than 15 service-based campus clubs and organizations present, as well as community agents, students had a plethora of volunteer opportunities to explore. Volunteer booths ranged from the FAMU chapter of SISTUHS, Inc. to the Kearney Center. Sophomore Sa’Mya Foster appreciated the variety of stations available. “This is my first time at the volunteer fair, and I am enjoying it a lot so far,” Foster said. “I want to get involved with nature a little bit more and I saw a few places that I could possibly volunteer at like the Gulf Specimen Aquarium and Florida state parks.”
Not only are volunteer hours a requirement for college graduation, but they are also mandatory for membership in specific organizations on campus. Organizations such as SISTUHS are centered around community service and current members try their best to extend service opportunities to those seeking hours.
Senior Maleeya McWhite believes her organization shined at the volunteer fair. “I think the fair turned out wonderfully, even with the number of booths, we had a lot of girls visit our table and ended up with about three sheets worth of volunteer sign ups,” said McWhite. “We accept volunteers all the time and most of our events are on campus to accommodate freshman since they are not allowed to have cars.”
In addition to the on-campus organizations present, there were several representatives from nonprofit organizations as well. A senior shelter manager at the Kearney Center, Trey McHenry, said his brief time at the event was a huge success. “Although we were only able to stay for about 90 minutes, I think we were here at the perfect time and got to capture the hearts of many of the students,” said McHenry. “We look for volunteers to assist with our clients and I always find it so intriguing how many students want to share their time with others, I truly think it is commendable.”
Any students who did not have a chance to visit the fair should not be worried. All information regarding the fair can be found online via the student union’s Instagram account, @famu_esua, or by contacting the office of student activities.