Get involved and get rewarded

Do you love helping others? Can’t pass up getting involved for a good cause? Even though you may not expect anything in return for your volunteering efforts, there are colleges, companies and organizations that will reward you for your community involvement.

You could be eligible for college scholarships based on your record of community service. So all that good you’ve been doing (or plan to do) for the environment, your needy neighbors and world peace can pay off. Even though these rewards are not your motivation, they can be a welcome side benefit.

How to get involved
What can you do now to start making a difference in your community? Miriam Weinstein, author of Making A Difference College and Grad Guide, a book that highlights scholarships and colleges that reward volunteerism, says students should find something that inspires them and strive to make an impact.

“Find something you feel passionate about, find a group that's working on the issue, and join or start a group of your own,” says Weinstein. “I think it's good to work on local issues where you can have an impact—perhaps fighting development plans or the opening of a chain store that negatively affects local businesses. I think it's also vital to work on larger issues with regional, national or global importance. Many large organizations have local offices where you can volunteer.”

Does length of service matter?
Wondering what the colleges and companies that grant scholarships based on community involvement consider a record of community service? You’ll run across that phrase often if you are applying for these scholarships. Although the requirements vary according to the scholarship for which you are applying, you might consider getting in at least a year of volunteering to meet their guidelines.

“A consistent record of service with one organization for a long period of time…while I can't say specifically, I would expect that means at least one year and probably volunteering a minimum of 15 or 20 hours a month,” Weinstein says. “Additionally, if you have started your own group, and it is effective and making a difference, even though the length of time might be shorter, I think it would be well-regarded.”

Committing to service for a significant amount of time is possible. Brooke Brandon, a freshman at Texas A&M, won more than $140,000 in scholarships. She and her sister have spent more than 2,000 hours serving their community.

Where do you find the money?
There are lots of resources available to help you find scholarships based on community service, such as books, Web sites and online scholarship search engines. Don’t overlook your local businesses and nonprofit organizations.

“I admire scholarships such as the new David Brower Environmental Leadership Award and the Patrick Stewart Human Rights Scholarship because these awards are based on the integrity and values of the giver,” she says. “While big corporations may give the most, the source of their money may not have come from doing good. On the other hand, you will be recycling their money into a better purpose!”

The Patrick Stewart Human Rights Scholarship offers an opportunity for students to gain practical experience in the field of human rights. Amnesty International USA awards these scholarships to student activists for summer internships or other short-term human-rights projects. Ranging from $300 to $1,800, the scholarships can be used for travel, materials and other expenses.

Every year, the David Brower Environmental Leadership Award is given to six young people who are working for environmental conservation, preservation and restoration. Each winner receives a cash award of $3,000 and ongoing access to resources and opportunities.

Brooke won the Presidential Freedom Scholarship, a program designed to highlight and promote service and citizenship by students and to recognize students for their leadership in those two areas. In addition to scholarships of $1,000, students receive a certificate from the president, a letter of recognition and a gold President’s Student Service Award pin.

Tips for applying
Weinstein offers these tips for making the most of your scholarship search and application process:
* Find the scholarships that seem the strongest fit for you.
* Look for local scholarships from organizations such as Rotary or Kiwanis.
* Go to individual Web sites and check deadlines (which are forever changing) and details of the scholarships you are interested in.
* If they ask for verification of your community service, be sure to provide it.
* Keep a notebook of any newspaper clippings that might mention your or your group’s efforts.
* If references are necessary, give the person plenty of time to respond.
* Be complete, neat and on time.
* Don’t wait until the last minute. If there is a postal delay, even one caused by weather, your application could be disregarded.

Making a difference
Weinstein offers a last word about volunteerism and making a difference in your community and the world around you: “Give your heart, your hands and your mind. Everything you do is of benefit. Everything you do is needed. Please remember to be politically active as well, and take good care of yourself so you don't burn out.”

She also says to be sure to attend a college that shares your values and supports you in your commitment to making the world a better place. 

“President Bush challenged us to be citizens building communities of service and a nation of character,” says Brooke. “It only takes one to make a difference. Our generation needs to learn not to waste a single moment.”

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