Although balloons normally suggest a party, the blue and gold ones flying in the ballrooms of the Alumni Memorial Union on Tuesday and Wednesday night signified something different — Marquette's semi-annual Community Service/Service Learning Agency fair.

For the second year, both the Center for Community Service, a division of the Office of Student Development, and the Service Learning Program partnered up to offer information for students to get involved in service.

"We wanted to make it easier for both the agencies and the students," said David Borgealt, assistant dean for community service programs.

The ballroom was split into several sections — one side had yellow balloons for service learning agencies, one side had blue balloons for community service groups, and the center combined the balloons where both service learning and community service opportunities were offered.

Angela Pappas, a College of Arts & Sciences senior, described the fair as a "madhouse." Looking to get involved in a community service site related to her psychology major, Pappas said she was overwhelmed and confused entering the fair.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she said.

Interested in getting more information for both Habitat for Humanity and Amnesty International, College of Arts & Sciences freshman Malika Taalbi said she found the fair to be helpful.

"I signed up for some organizations at O-Fest and I still got more information here," she said.

Ninety social service agencies, schools and student organizations were represented, according to Borgealt.

Of the community service organizations, he said he invited off-campus sites as well as any student organization with service in its mission.

"We pick agencies based on if they're relatively easy to get to, if they have a good reputation and if we've had a good relationship with them over the years," he said.

New efforts this year included recruitment of volunteers interested in assisting with local Hurricane Katrina relief projects.

Bobbi Timberlake, administrator of the Service Learning Program, said she invited all of the 142 agencies her office works with. Fifty were present.

Service Learning is offered in 52 classes this semester, according to Timberlake, giving students the option of being placed at sites in the Milwaukee area to perform community service related to their coursework.

Kim Nowak, a representative from the Sojourner Truth House, said she has been coming to the agency fair for the past seven years.

The Sojourner Truth House, a shelter for battered women and their children, provides the opportunity for Service Learning participants to gain practical experience in the community.

"We've not had problems in the past filling up spaces, but we do encourage more males to volunteer," she said.

Students entering the fair were given a map and list of agencies present. Students interested in community service opportunities were able to sign up directly with the agencies on Tuesday and Wednesday. Service Learning students were only able to sign up Wednesday on a first-come, first-serve basis.

"Some placements will fill up, but there will be plenty of different options for students to choose from. We work with over 130 agencies each semester so we never have to turn an interested student away for lack of placements," said Kim Jensen Bohat, assistant administrator of Service Learning.

Turnout for the event was typical of past years' attendance, Borgealt and Jensen Bohat said.

"It's a great way for students to gather information and get involved in service," Borgealt said.

According to a survey given to all seniors before graduation last school year, Borgealt said 85 percent of Marquette students volunteer at least once a year.

For more information about community service or Service Learning opportunities, visit www.marquette.edu/osd/service or www.marquette.edu/servicelearning, respectively.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 8, 2005.