In his State of the Union address last week, President Bush called on all Americans to commit two years, or 4,000 hours, over the rest of their lives to volunteerism and community service. While this figure may seem daunting to the average college student, many University students already are donating hundreds of hours of their time every semester to work for the betterment of the Charlottesville community.
The Sept. 11 attacks profoundly affected the ways in which students participate in volunteer programs at the University. Today, almost five months later, volunteer organizations around Grounds are trying to refocus their efforts in a world that has been forever changed by that day's tragic events.
Madison House remains the most well- known volunteer organization for University students. However, this independent, non-profit, student-run organization actually had considerably fewer volunteers than normal sign up last semester, in the wake of Sept. 11. Madison House officials said they hope this semester's volunteer numbers will rebound.
"We had 700 less student volunteers than in past years in the week following Sept. 11. Our office was essentially empty," said Madison House Executive Director Cindy Fredrick. "By the time we closed registration at the end of September we were down 200 volunteers."
Fredrick said fewer volunteers joined Madison House programs last semester because they instead focused on the immediate needs of residents in New York City and Washington, D.C.
"Our programs all require either a semester long or year long commitment," Fredrick said. "In September, people wanted to do something now, on a short term basis, to help out."
Asst. Dean of Students Stephanie Goodell, who works closely with the Virginia Service Coalition, an umbrella organization for about 35 University affiliated service groups, agreed with Frederick.
"Right after September 11 people had all these great ideas about how to help. A lot of them were one time events such as [Delta Upsilon Fraternity's] relief drive," Goodell said.
Goodell, who helped coordinate the sudden outpouring of University volunteer efforts after Sept. 11, said she has seen volunteerism take on a new role in the lives of many University students.
"Students are more inspired to serve their local communities than before," she said. "In the past few months, many students have begun to see volunteerism as a priority in their life beyond just their college years."
"At the University there has always been a Jeffersonian tradition of public service," Dean of Students Penny Rue said. "But, in general, today's college students have a strong desire to make the world a better place and they see community service programs as a way of accomplishing that. I have seen a strong trend of volunteerism among college students in the past decade."
Fourth-year Education student Mary Ellen Bizzarri is one student who found her calling in life through volunteer work. After volunteering for the Virginia Institute of Autism, Bizzarri saw a need at the University for a volunteer organization with a focus on special education. In the fall of 2000 she started an organization called Special Friends.
This organization now includes over 65 members and offers volunteers opportunities to work at the Charlottesville Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic Center, help local elementary school children and work at the Virginia Institute of Autism.
"I see a lot of Special Friends get into areas of social work and special education as a result of the experiences they've had volunteering," Bizarri said. "Even if it's not a career path they'll find other ways they can continue to serve."
Third-year College student Patrick English serves as a Madison House program director for Help Line, a 24-hour crisis intervention hotline for Charlottesville residents and University students. He said his group handled a number of calls on Sept. 11 from people trying to deal with the terrorist attacks. He added that he thinks the volunteer community at the University is and will continue to be very strong.
"You know it's something special when there are so many people who want to help that you have to try out for some programs at this school in order to become a volunteer," English said.
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