I don’t think any of us here need to be briefed on why or how community service is important. Volunteering is proven to have social, psychological, and cognitive benefits. And not just only for those who have actually done the volunteering. Through volunteering, students become engaged in the community and are given a chance to build a relationship with the population they are serving. Psychologically, community service is known to improve mood, reduce stress, and increase self-efficiency. When asked to explain the importance of community service, one honor-roll student said, “Volunteers learn that their work makes a difference and it makes them feel good.”

Here at Whitman, students can complete fifty hours of community service to receive half of a credit and one hundred hours to receive a full credit. While that amount of volunteering may seem daunting and impossible to complete, it is actually quite easy to rack up the hours with all the volunteering opportunities available at Whitman and throughout our community. The programs cited in this article are not only a fun, easy way to gain credits, but they will also look nice on any college application.