Students looking to enhance their resume or gain a sense of community by donating their time have many options across campus, with a public volunteer directory via the Mt. SAC volunteer page or club programs that regularly lead volunteer opportunities.
There are opportunities for both campus and community service. However, because the frequency of volunteer offerings can fluctuate, it can be difficult to know where to look or where to start.
Students may be looking to volunteer with friends or to make new ones to volunteer with. To help with this, the Discord club servers offer group chats dedicated to volunteer opportunities and the chance to meet fellow volunteers. There is also a directory page via the Mt. SAC volunteer page that allows you to match with favorite volunteer agencies.
According to the school’s student services volunteer directory page, there is a multitude of volunteer opportunities via Service Opportunities. One can volunteer for animal welfare, community, environmental causes, health care, mental health, medicine, homelessness and food insecurity, museums, youth and education.
The headline to the student’s services directory page reads, “What are you passionate about?” and displays the possibilities in volunteer work. The directory offers many volunteer options like the National Honors Societies of Alpha Gamma Sigma and Phi Theta Kappa or Environmental Action Groups of Livable, also known as the E.A.G.L.E.
In a questionnaire on Discord regarding volunteer work, Alayna Trejo, 21, an environmental science major and current president of PTK for Mt. SAC said, “Mt. SAC does have many volunteer opportunities if you are part of either honors society, the honors Program, or EAGLE club.”
Trejo suggested the LA Food Bank, volunteering for the Wildlife Sanctuary, or the honors program ceremonies as good options when discussing common volunteer opportunities at Mt. SAC.
The benefits of volunteering range from the internal joy of knowing you are making a positive impact to the external value of improving your resume.
“Some have been directly impacted in the community and give back to organizations that help people that have gone through similar issues like homelessness, cancer, etc,” Trejo said. “I also think volunteering is a great way to meet downright kind people.”
With these insights in mind, volunteer work seems to incite the very best in people. It highlights the commonalities in the human race and their intention to do good. Though it may be initially difficult to find a clear roadmap to volunteer opportunities, honor clubs and public directories like the Mt. SAC service page offers a pathway.
Volunteer opportunities also look good for students planning to transfer. In addition to being part of a volunteer group, one has the experience of being an active and serviceable community member. These are skills that transfer to a multitude of career paths.
To become a member of PTK, look out for any upcoming Join-A-Club events via Mt. SAC’s event calendar. You can also search for them via Instagram or the Mt. SAC server hub on Discord. Some requirements of the honors clubs include maintaining a 3.4 GPA for PTK and the completion of 12 transferable units.
For AGS, another honors club at Mt. SAC, one will need to maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete a minimum of 12 hours of volunteer service. E.A.G.L.E club is open to all interested students. The SAC volunteer service page is also open to students who are interested.
You can also look at the college volunteer directory for popular programs.