NSU Horizons Spring 2010

11 horizons NSU’s social sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha, worked more than 1,150 hours and raised more than $25,000 during that semester, mainly as part of a sponsorship of an anti-suicide walk called “Out of the Darkness.” “There’s a variety of interest in volunteerism,” said Terry Morrow, director of NSU’s Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement. “Student leaders want to make a dif- ference. Also, many of these people attended high schools that required community service hours, so it’s part of their culture.” Myriad Opportunities The list of NSU student volun- teer activities is long. It includes attorneys-to-be who work in the Shepard Broad Law Center Pro Bono Honor Program, which informs students about unmet legal needs in their communities and provides them with opportunities to work directly with low-income and underprivileged clients. Recent student volunteerism also has included free dental work for low-income children by the College of Dental Medicine; fund- raising for hurricane relief in Haiti through the Health Professions Division’s colleges of pharmacy, osteopathic medicine, and allied health and nursing; and no-cost health care screenings for more than 1,000 seniors at the annual “Boomers and Beyond” event. Sometimes, NSU students address critical needs thousands of miles from the South Florida campus. For example, 15 students have worked to improve life in six struggling villages in Ghana, with two of those students traveling to the West African nation for hands- on contributions. The strategic planning and on-site assistance of these volunteers helped build a health clinic for several thousand villagers, says Cyril Blavo, D.O., director of the Master of Public Health Program and coordinator of the Ghana volunteers. During a focus group held in the village of Tafi Atome to deter- mine the impact of the students’ work, Blavo recalled, “An older woman stood up in the back and said, ‘Because of you, the children no longer die.’ ” Other NSU student missions have visited nations in South America and the Caribbean as well as elsewhere in Africa, including Uganda. “Our goal is to serve the local South Florida community, yes, but also the global community with one international project every year,” said Sakthi Murugan, a premed junior and founding member of NSU’s chapter of Rotaract, the youth branch of Rotary International. “Last year, we raised more than $10,000 to help build a school in Uganda and sent two of our members for physi- cal support on the grounds … Our next goal involves ‘Project Paraguay,’ where we hope to raise $30,000 this spring to build a new library for a small Paraguayan town.” Local Groups Not Neglected NSU student volunteers also lend their talents to small local organizations, where they gain practical career skills in return. Jonathan Sanz, a theatre and music major in his sophomore year at the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, has volunteered for more than a year at the Promethean Theatre, a professional dramatic company based at NSU. His respon- sibilities have included assisting with lights, costumes, and props and performing on stage. “I feel a part of the company. And I feel that I’m valued heavily,” said Sanz. “I think I help make their lives a lot easier by being there. It’s been a very positive experience, and I love these people now.” Some campus organizations spread out their assistance to a variety of nonprofits. The honorary fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, with 28 active members who work with 15 to 25 different groups, currently helps out such nonprofits as Adopt- a-Street, Habitat for Humanity, and the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America. In November, Alpha Phi volunteers held a charity auc- tion with all proceeds donated to the Tropical Rainforest Coalition. During the fall 2009 semester, the group devoted more than 500 hours to charity work and raised $500. “I’ve always been very involved. It provides me with an outlet to give back to the community. It’s also helped me branch out at NSU, to meet a lot of people through our collaborations and improve my leadership skills,” said A.K. Bennett, a sophomore legal studies major who is the recruitment chair for NSU’s chapter of Alpha Phi Omega. “I believe we’re all here not just for ourselves, but also to help other people.” n Volunteerism in Action Less than 24 hours after the horrific January earthquake in Haiti, NSU students and faculty members had galvanized relief efforts. Prayer vigils, relief drives, fund-raising, and special events were arranged by a large cross section of NSU colleges, organizations, and individuals, including the Haitian Student Association and the Division of Student Affairs. NSU’s response didn’t stop after the initial first weeks. Faculty members from the Health Professions Division and the Center of Psychological Studies have gone to Haiti to aid in this ongoing effort. For more information on NSU relief efforts, visit the NSU home page at www.nova.edu and click on the Haitian Relief section.