Spring Break
Clearinghouse for Volunteers
On community service
Corrine Hawes
Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
10/09/08 - As many of the freshmen may know, it is service learning project season for all the URI 101 classes. We wanted to take time to recognize some of our projects that are newer to our program, and thank the URI 101 student volunteers that helped to make them a great success.
A new project we have added this year is called the Living History project. Several classes will go into nursing homes and assisted living facilities to sit down with an elderly person to hear about their experiences and journeys throughout their life.
The students are given various questions to ask the elderly, such as "Is there something in your life that you feel is your biggest success or accomplishment?" and "What do you think about the current global warming issue?"
Then, the students take the interview and compose a poem, story, article, song, etc. from the answers. This reflective piece is then given back to the resident. The senior citizens have really enjoyed being able to share their stories with younger students, and the URI students have enjoyed meeting someone to hear their perspective on life.
For years, the RI Blood Center has held blood drives on campus several times a year. This year, we decided to add another program to the mix. We held URI's first Bone Marrow Donor Drive. Students were asked to answer several questions and receive four cheek swabs (to determine the marrow type through collection of cells.)
The event was held for three days, Sept. 23-25, in the Memorial Union Gallery. The donors will be placed into a registry and could be contacted for either stem cells or bone marrow.
Bone Marrow is very difficult to match, so the more donors they could register, the more likely lives could be saved. During the three days, they registered 90 possible donors. The URI 101 students helped out with marketing the drive-by handing out fliers, as well as helping in the actual process of the cheek swabbing.
The past weekend, URI welcomed back a group we have had visiting for years. The College Crusade of Rhode Island is a non-profit organization that reduces school dropout rates and increase educational awareness for children from low-income urban communities.
A new project we have added this year is called the Living History project. Several classes will go into nursing homes and assisted living facilities to sit down with an elderly person to hear about their experiences and journeys throughout their life.
The students are given various questions to ask the elderly, such as "Is there something in your life that you feel is your biggest success or accomplishment?" and "What do you think about the current global warming issue?"
Then, the students take the interview and compose a poem, story, article, song, etc. from the answers. This reflective piece is then given back to the resident. The senior citizens have really enjoyed being able to share their stories with younger students, and the URI students have enjoyed meeting someone to hear their perspective on life.
For years, the RI Blood Center has held blood drives on campus several times a year. This year, we decided to add another program to the mix. We held URI's first Bone Marrow Donor Drive. Students were asked to answer several questions and receive four cheek swabs (to determine the marrow type through collection of cells.)
The event was held for three days, Sept. 23-25, in the Memorial Union Gallery. The donors will be placed into a registry and could be contacted for either stem cells or bone marrow.
Bone Marrow is very difficult to match, so the more donors they could register, the more likely lives could be saved. During the three days, they registered 90 possible donors. The URI 101 students helped out with marketing the drive-by handing out fliers, as well as helping in the actual process of the cheek swabbing.
The past weekend, URI welcomed back a group we have had visiting for years. The College Crusade of Rhode Island is a non-profit organization that reduces school dropout rates and increase educational awareness for children from low-income urban communities.
