Students who are interested in community service but do not have the time to volunteer regularly have a simple alternative — Marquette's Service Saturdays.
The Center for Community Service caters to even the busiest of students with programs like monthly, come-if-you-can service opportunities.
The four-year-old program consists of a monthly trip on a Saturday to agencies in the greater Milwaukee area that need volunteers, according to Assistant Dean for Community Service Programs David Borgealt, who helps oversee the program.
"The location varies each month, depending on who needs assistance," Borgealt said. In October, students traveled to the Gingerbread House, a shelter for homeless women and children, where they worked at the house's fall festival.
On a typical Saturday, students meet in the Alumni Memorial Union to travel to the volunteer site via university-provided transportation, according to Borgealt.
The day concludes with a group reflection for students to "gather their thoughts and discuss the experience," Borgealt said. He said students signed up for Service Saturdays in September at the Community Service Fair.
"More students are always welcome though," said College of Arts & Sciences senior Tiff Huber, who is a student program assistant at the Center for Community Service. "We're looking at organizing more than one Saturday per month due to increased interest, which is really exciting."
Students who sign up for the program are notified of an upcoming event by e-mail. If they can fit the project into their schedules, they simply reply by phone or e-mail.
"The program is designed to get students involved with community service in Milwaukee regardless of busy schedules," Borgealt said.
Depending on the location, anywhere from 15 to 35 students may participate. Because of the flexibility of the program, the group of people attending varies each month. The flexible group allows students to meet new people who share their interest in community service.
"It's really wonderful to see everyone break away from small groups of friends or roommates and interact with the neighborhood and new students," Huber said.
College of Arts & Sciences sophomore Claire Hoffmeyer, who took part in October's Service Saturday, agreed. "I know that the closest friends I've made here at Marquette have been the ones I met through community service," she said.
On Service Saturday trips, students not only make great friends but experience the richness of volunteering in the greater Milwaukee area. Illustrating the idea, Huber said, "I feel I am not the one serving, but the one being served."
This month's Service Saturday will be Nov. 13 at the Milwaukee Christian Center, where students will be painting and renovating parts of the building. Interested students can stop by the Office of Student Development, or call 288-1412.