By Caitlin Murray
Looking to spruce up your resume?
WNED is scheduled to hold its 3rd annualvolunteer fair March 31, giving college students the chance to shop around for the volunteer work that is right for them.
Carol Bronnenkant, co-founder and coordinator of the event, which will feature more than 35 non-profit organizations, said that while retired people are the most represented age group, college students can earn the unique benefit of focusing their area of study.
“I think (volunteering is) a chance to put into practice some of the things you’re learning in college,” Bronnenkant said. “So regardless of your major, it provides real life experience. Through volunteer work, you might discover passion or interest in a field you never considered.”
Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Erie County Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator Michelle George said that in the three years her organization has attended the fair, it has seen a number of high school and college students interested in becoming Big Brothers and Sisters.
“Most of them don’t have children of their own at this point,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun, taking a kid to the zoo, playing video games and bike riding. They get to go out with these kids and college students tend to be very interested in those activities.”
But it’s not all fun and games. Volunteering with an organization like Big Brothers and Big Sisters can demonstrate the skills employers and graduate schools are looking for, George said.
“It’s a great resume builder and something you can certainly use on an application,” she said. “It means you’re trustworthy, mature and responsible.”
Laura Hill Rao, a volunteering coordinator at Buffalo State College’s Career Development Center said that while volunteer experience looks good on a resume, the best reason to do it is out of concern for the community.
“I think that’s the most important reason, civic engagement,” she said. “It’s every citizen’s responsibility to be an active member of their community with things that they care about and give back. There’s a lot of need and there’s something for everyone to do.”
Some other organizations planning to attend include:
The volunteer fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at WNED Studios at 140 Lower Terrace in downtown Buffalo. Free parking will be provided. For more information, call 845-7025.
Contact reporter Caitlin Murray at murrca47@gmail.com
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