CIA fair links students with service opportunities

Kendra Brown
MC Contributor/Staff Writer

Girl Scouts of America, Big Brother Big Sister, and the South Jackson Eagles Youth Football were just a few of the agencies in attendance at the annual Community in Action Fair held on Jan. 28 in Jackson State University Student Center ballrooms.

Hosted by the Alice Varnado Harden Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning, the event links agencies with students and provides important information on how they can fulfill their community service graduation requirement while also helping the community. Students at JSU are required to obtain 120 hours of community service (60 of community service are required for transfer students).

Kimberly Harris, Service Learning/Community Service Resource Specialist/NSE Coordinator explained the purpose of the CIA event.

“The Alice Varnado Harden Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning promotes all students toward improving the human condition through civic engagement.  Since, every student graduating from Jackson State University must have 120 verifiable service hours to graduate (60 hours for transfer students); we have events like the Community in Action Fair (CIA) so that each student can become familiar with the community partners,” said Harris.

Cheryl Walker, program specialist of Big Brother, Big Sister Jackson metro area said,” Big Brother, Big Sister recruits volunteers for the state of Mississippi to do mentoring services to children between the ages of 5 to 15 in the metro Jackson area. We have several children who need mentors yet we have very few volunteers who are able to commit. We want volunteers who can spend an hour with a child a week and up to 6 hours a month doing basic little things you do with your own little sister or brother all while being a positive influence and teaching them something that will guide them into their career when they get older and want to give back to the community.”

Many of the students in attendance were pleased that they could meet the community partners in one event.

“I think it is really great how the CIA has different opportunities for JSU students to get their volunteer hours and to learn more about different organizations. It’s also great to see other things I can do to make the world a better place,” said Cordelia Fancher, a freshman mass communication major from San Diego, Calif.

Tony Roberts, a sophomore business marketing major from Quitman, Miss., spoke with representative at the Jackson Zoological Park, an animal shelter, the Good Samaritan Center and Relay for Life.

“I’ve been going to different booths to see which I like best. This has been a good way to see how to get community service hours, and if anyone can’t get the hours required to graduate it is their fault because JSU has plenty of opportunities to get your service hours.”

The JSU Welcome Center was one of the on-campus community service locations available to speak with students.

“The Welcome Center is open and available for JSU students to come in and do their community service hours. Volunteering at the Welcome Center will consist of campus tours, if needed, putting together tour bags, and other things that are needed in the Welcome Center,” Serita Washington, tour guide/receptionist & web content editor.

For more information about service agencies, deadlines and events, contact the Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning at 601-979-1294 or visit the office located on the first floor of Jacob L. Reddix Hall.