2008 Woodie Awards
New programs offer opportunity to help with little commitment
Summer Desselle
Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: News
A new program through Emerson's Office of Service Learning will allow students to help out around the community without sacrificing large amounts of time from their busy schedules.
Joshua Schukman, a freshman theatre studies major who will be serving as the college's new mentoring coordinator, said he is excited about leading many opportunities the Office of Service Learning has started this year.
He is looking to bring his past experience helping his community to Emerson through a series of new projects that will give fellow students the opportunity to reach out without a long commitment.
After his high school graduation in 2003, Schukman worked for AmeriCorps in Cleveland, Ohio, in an after-school program where he planned and organized several community service projects.
The 10 months that he spent dedicating his time to serving others strengthened his desire to help people, while showing him the personal benefits of doing so.
He now hopes to convince Emerson students to get involved in these same experiences.
Schukman is responsible for running four long-term programs this year, along with additional "Done in a Day" projects.
The four projects include Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay; Boston Partners in Education; Horizons for Homeless Children; and YMCA's Black Achievers. Each program allows Emerson students to spend time helping children, some of whom are suffering from problems that range from mental illness to homelessness.
The Big Brothers/Big Sisters program is a national effort to give adult mentoring hours to disadvantaged children, many of whom grow up in single-parent or foster homes. Boston Partners in Education is a city-wide effort to get volunteers into public schools for activities such as reading and after-school programs. Horizons for Homeless Children is a local charity that provides support services for homeless families with preschool-aged children. The YMCA's Black Achievers program is a nationwide effort to promote the educational and career advancements of minority children.
The "Done in a Day" projects allow students with overwhelming schedules to serve the community in a one-day project.
These projects include Habitat for Humanity and City Year's Serve-A-Thon, each involving volunteers taking part in bettering the community through activities like construction work.
Schukman's mentoring program recently received a $500 grant to encourage students to attend "Civic Engagement Initiative" speeches on political and community awareness issues.
He said he is enthusiastic about this opportunity because of speeches he has attended before, including those given by Frank Schultz, president of Amnesty International and Tim Russert, host of "Meet the Press."
"Last year by doing programs similar to this, I learned more than some learn in a lifetime," Schukman said. "These are experiences you'll cherish for as long as you live."
Joshua Schukman, a freshman theatre studies major who will be serving as the college's new mentoring coordinator, said he is excited about leading many opportunities the Office of Service Learning has started this year.
He is looking to bring his past experience helping his community to Emerson through a series of new projects that will give fellow students the opportunity to reach out without a long commitment.
After his high school graduation in 2003, Schukman worked for AmeriCorps in Cleveland, Ohio, in an after-school program where he planned and organized several community service projects.
The 10 months that he spent dedicating his time to serving others strengthened his desire to help people, while showing him the personal benefits of doing so.
He now hopes to convince Emerson students to get involved in these same experiences.
Schukman is responsible for running four long-term programs this year, along with additional "Done in a Day" projects.
The four projects include Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay; Boston Partners in Education; Horizons for Homeless Children; and YMCA's Black Achievers. Each program allows Emerson students to spend time helping children, some of whom are suffering from problems that range from mental illness to homelessness.
The Big Brothers/Big Sisters program is a national effort to give adult mentoring hours to disadvantaged children, many of whom grow up in single-parent or foster homes. Boston Partners in Education is a city-wide effort to get volunteers into public schools for activities such as reading and after-school programs. Horizons for Homeless Children is a local charity that provides support services for homeless families with preschool-aged children. The YMCA's Black Achievers program is a nationwide effort to promote the educational and career advancements of minority children.
The "Done in a Day" projects allow students with overwhelming schedules to serve the community in a one-day project.
These projects include Habitat for Humanity and City Year's Serve-A-Thon, each involving volunteers taking part in bettering the community through activities like construction work.
Schukman's mentoring program recently received a $500 grant to encourage students to attend "Civic Engagement Initiative" speeches on political and community awareness issues.
He said he is enthusiastic about this opportunity because of speeches he has attended before, including those given by Frank Schultz, president of Amnesty International and Tim Russert, host of "Meet the Press."
"Last year by doing programs similar to this, I learned more than some learn in a lifetime," Schukman said. "These are experiences you'll cherish for as long as you live."