Community Service Spotlight

Community service is an integral part of the Global UGRAD program. Students are required to complete at least 20 hours of community service as a way to give back and build meaningful connections in their local communities. Every student is engaged in interesting and inspirational service; keep reading to learn more about a selection of three students’ unique volunteering experiences.

Siti Khadijah Morsalin, Malaysia, is attending Castleton University. In her own words:

Siti Khadijah Morsalin (right) reading to children at RCPCC.
Siti (right) reading to children at RCPCC.

“On top of [volunteering with the Castleton Public Library], I did my hours at Rutland County Parent-Child Centre (RCPCC) in both locations in Brandon and Rutland. To be honest, I am not good at handling toddlers and Pre-K students, as my major is secondary education. Nevertheless, I took it as a challenge for myself as a future educator to explore more about Early Childhood Education and the education system in the United States. Together with my groupmates, we designed an interactive lesson plan and did the lesson together at the center. As shown in the pictures, I read them a book about emotion, and we did some hands-on activities. This is to let their creative juices flow to create a masterpiece of their own and sharpen their fine motor skills.”

Lalitphan Suwanchatree, Thailand, is a student at Centenary College of Louisiana. In her own words:

Lali and her furry friends!
Lali and her furry friends!

Pet Savers of Shreveport, Louisiana is the place I volunteered. I volunteered as a dog and cat socializer. During the time I volunteered at Pet Savers I met Linda. She is a director of pet savers and she devotes her life and her heart to these helpless animals. Moreover, I met a few volunteers there. Some are new and others have been volunteering with Pet Savers for more than 10 years. It feels good to see those dogs and cats get adopted to a happy home and have someone to take care of them for the rest of their life, but the sad thing is I lost 2 dogs, both Montana and Caesar spent their entire life at the shelter and they only knew Pet Saver as their home. Lastly, I would like to thank Global UGRAD and Pet Savers for the chance for me to fulfill my dream. This opportunity let me meet new people, gain more experience, and realized how much I can give back to this community.”

Dana El Moghrabi, Lebanon, is studying at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. In her own words:

Dana El Moghrabi (left) volunteering at Paul's Pantry.
Dana (left) volunteering at Paul’s Pantry.

“For my community service project, I volunteered at Paul’s Pantry in the Green Bay area, Wisconsin. There, I was able to help with packaging food, keeping records of the inventory, assisting beneficiaries, and sorting groceries. I was able to meet amazing volunteers that I found to be very inspiring. They introduced me to the noble mission of Paul’s Pantry which aims at providing food for all individuals regardless of their ethnicity, race, or religion. It was such an enlightening experience that nurtured my volunteering spirit and helped me connect to my community.”