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Paid Volunteers for Education & Non-Profit Organizations
America Reads is a program where students go to local elementary schools to tutor children in reading and math skills. This service is provided at no cost to the schools and not only benefits the children with skill development and enhancement but provides them the opportunity to interact with college students who are good role models for their future educational and social aspirations.
Community Service Internships (CSI) allow students to go into the community and work at non-profit or government agencies and assist them at no cost to the agency. Students may receive academic credit if the role they accept fits the requirements of their major as an internship.
Providing these services at the perscribed level also ensures the University continues to receive Federal Work Study funds to award to eligible students employed in these community service and University initiatives.
CSI Virginia Beach Animal Control
Brynne Burkett
Junior: Speech Pathology Major
Awarded Volunteer of the Season by: Virginia Beach Animal Control
Brynne began with the CSI program at the first of the year. She learned that she could earn her Federal Work-Study award working with the Virginia Beach Animal Control where she was already volunteering. She was excited about the opportunity to earn money to help with school, while continuing her passion for working with animals.
Brynne is a Speech Language Pathology major and plans on pursuing a career working with children with various disorders that affect their speech.
Brynne's major responsibilities at the shelter include exercising, socializing, and handling the animals. She also assists with making sure the animals have proper food and water. She works with the public when she shows the dogs to prospective adopters in the shelter and at off site adoption events.
Brynne shares:
The shelter has helped me with my future career goals in many ways. Some of the skills I am gaining are the ability to deal with many different people, the ability to prioritize and multi-task quickly, and how far a little patience and effort truly goes.
I work with the trainer at the shelter and I try and teach the animals as much I can. I have learned that I need to adjust my plan based on the situation presented to me. Each animal requires a little different approach in order to reach that particular animal's full potential. This is also true for children. Each child requires a different approach. This takes patience and thought. I have certainly learned to never under estimate the power of effort and patience. I have also learned the importance of networking. Aside from the numerous contacts I have made that can assist us in placing animals in need, my network has introduced me to educators and even speech pathology professionals. I have developed communication skills working with people from diverse backgrounds, often in emotional situations. I will need to use these skills when working with parents, professionals, and children as a Speech Language Pathologist.
I have most enjoy being able to help dogs and cats find forever homes. It is worth all the work and more when you see a happy family with their new adopted friend. I am very thankful for this opportunity.
Please join us in thanking Brynne for her commitment to serving our community by helping animals connect with families, and congratulate her for being awarded Volunteer of the Season with the Virginia Beach Animal Control for devoting over 140 hours of service.
CSI Transitions Family Violence Services
Almeta Phipps (seated), Sociology Major
Senior, December 2008
Supervisor Ms. Brown (standing)
So you love to volunteer but still need to earn a paycheck? Why not try CSI? The Community Service Internship Program offers students the opportunity to utilize Federal Work-Study money to get paid for doing community service. Sound too good to be true? Check out Almeta's story.
In summer 2006, Almeta began volunteering at Transitions Family Violence Services, a domestic violence and homeless shelter as a hotline operator. With the help of the CMC, Almeta turned this enjoyable and satisfying volunteer opportunity into a paid job.
Since taking this step to advance her career, Almeta's responsibilities have increased. Her duties currently include screening hotline calls, tutoring, accompanying legal advocates to court, making follow up calls to clients, providing assistance to clients at the shelter, and maintaining a safe environment at the shelter. Take a look at what Almeta had to say when asked how the current position benefited her.
"This position has shown me to be empathic and nonjudgmental. It has shown me how to find and provide resources for people, be compassionate, remain neutral, and use discretion when working with clients. Through work-study I have been able to see what goes on with domestic violence cases in the courts. I have been able to go to the General Assembly to lobby for several domestic violence bills. I was able to meet several delegates from the Hampton Roads area and Governor Tim Kaine. I am grateful to the many clients, colleagues, and especially Ms. Brown for giving me this chance."
America Reads - Tidewater Park
The America Reads program promotes literacy for children before and throughout their early childhood and gives college students the ability to make a positive impact while gaining valuable work experience. Old Dominion University's prized students at Tidewater Park Elementary are Alyssa Decowski and Kathlyn Odango. As with all America Reads Tutors, Alyssa's and Kathlyn's primary responsibilities include helping the students with their schoolwork, assisting the teacher with classroom duties, and teaching the students when asked. The areas of expertise of the tutors are typically reading and math.
Alyssa started working in the America Reads program in Fall of 2007 and has already had a noticeable impact on the children. After experiencing the joy of teaching her own child, Alyssa decided she wanted to have that kind of positive effect on other children. Alyssa is an accounting major with a management minor who plans to have her Master's degree by May 2011. She hopes to manage finances in either a school or small business. Alyssa explained, "I enjoy seeing how I help the children learn and grow throughout the year, becoming stronger readers." Kathlyn Odango is an education major with a focus on Pre-K - 6th grade. She has been in the America Reads Program for about one year now. She has profited from this AR because she loves working with children and has gained experience in her field.
After graduation this May, Kathlyn plans to start working on her Master's degree, eventually becoming an elementary school teacher in the Hampton Roads area. When asked how this position has affected her future, Kathlyn replied, "assisting the teacher and being a tutor for elementary aged students has greatly benefited me with my future goals. I am very blessed to have a position that not only helps with my major but also makes me a better person as well. I am more than positive I want to become an elementary school teacher in the future."
America Reads - Larchmont
Over the next few months, the Career Management Center will introduce you to a group of individuals who are using their Federal Work-Study money to not only help pay for school but also to advance their careers and help the community! We would like to say great job to the ODU students in the America Reads Tutoring Program! This month the focus will be on Natasha Jeter, a tutor at Larchmont Elementary in Norfolk. You can see her above with Skyllar, Alex, and Reggie. After graduation she plans to move to Georgia and become involved with law and politics while pursuing an interest in real estate.
While Natasha has only been working as a tutor for 3 months, her impact is already noticeable. She works along side a kindergarten teacher assisting students like those pictured above on letter recognition, reading, and writing. When asked what the most enjoyable aspect of the experience has been, she replied "the radiating innocence from the children, watching them in beginning stages of their quest for knowledge! I appreciate their creative stories and their sincere efforts to become better literate students."
If you have Federal Work-Study, you too can enroll in the America Reads (AR) program! Students are assigned to work with early childhood and elementary school aged children in reading and math in a variety of settings. To apply, search for the America Reads position on eRecruiting under Old Dominion University Career Management Center and upload your resume and cover letter no later than the application deadline.
To the tutors at Larchmont Elementary, thank you for your service and congratulations on finding such an awesome opportunity!
Work-Study to Student Hourly
Believe it or not, 80% of the job market is not presented in traditional advertising format, such as job posting websites or bulletin boards. Often times these are the jobs we want the most. By doing hard work as a freshman in her on-campus Federal work-study job, Christina Koenig was able to land herself in one of these hidden and tough to get positions. Here is her story.
As a freshman, Christina knew she needed a job. She got a simple Federal work-study position at International Admissions in the fall of 2004 because of the flexibility and willingness to work with her schedule. She worked diligently there for three years until a former advisor that she had worked with in International Admissions contacted her. The advisor now worked in the Engineering Management (ENMA) office where they had a need for a student worker, a student hourly position that does not require Federal work-study. Enticed by the increased importance, pay, and relatedness to her major, Christina gladly accepted. Now the Administrator Assistant for ENMA, she faces the challenging and rewarding work of reorganizing ENMA's massive collection of files. This is entirely her project and she says the best part of it is the personal responsibility. "It teaches me not to be lazy and to be on time for work, because, in the end, if you have a project, it needs to get done." She now feels better prepared for handling projects independently in the future as a result of this job. When she graduates, Christina would like to acquire a position in an engineering firm, although she is considering going to graduate school.
Please join the Career Management Center in congratulating Christina on a job well done!
Zaid Abdullah's CSI position with the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum has landed him a permanent part-time position with the agency!
Zaid joined the Community Service Internship (CSI) program in February 2007 in order to earn his Federal Work-Study award. He states "I chose CSI because it seemed like the most flexible option for what I was looking for. It allowed me to choose where I wanted to work within the CSI guidelines."
Zaid's responsibilities with the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum were greeting visitors, answering questions, interpreting exhibits, explaining rules and procedures, and guiding general visitors and school groups through the museum. Zaid acknowledged that the CSI "allowed him to experience something within his field that he hadn't before." He enjoyed most of all working with the dedicated staff. He would "recommend any one to earn their Work-Study funds with the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum."
He was able to obtain a regular part-time position by inquiring about new openings and staying updated with employee news.
Please join the CMC in congratulating Zaid Abdullah on obtaining his new part-time position.
