Describe a volunteer experience I have had and what it has taught me. by Courtney

Describe a volunteer experience I have had and what it has taught me. by Courtney - May 2018 Scholarship Essay

Volunteerism is a huge part of my life and it was instilled in me at a very young age. I was a member of Girl Scouts of the USA from the age of five. Even through the continuous moves that are associated with having a parent in the military, Girl Scouting was one of the very few constants in my life. No matter where we moved, I made sure that I was enrolled in Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts has not only taught me the importance of volunteering, helping others, and making the world a better place, but it has also allowed me many outlets to lead, define my values, and grow. I was able to volunteer weekly in a wide array of activities such as retirement homes, food pantries and community cleanups.
In 2010 I achieved the highest award in girl scouting, the Girl Scout Gold Award. Prior to this achievement, I also was awarded the Girl Scout Bronze and Silver Award. Each of these awards required hours of preparation and execution to better my community. For my Gold Award I independently planned a week called “soaring to new heights through reading” for a local elementary school. Many teachers yearned for a way for the students to follow along with stories. However, many books were not readily available on tape. I wrote to numerous authors to get permission to audio record myself reading their book to be used for educational purposes. I recorded over 20 books on tape and donated multiple copies of each book to insure each classroom had a complete set. Several years later this project is still being used at the elementary school and helping numerous students learn the importance of reading and building the skills that they need to become young readers who love to read.
During my college years at Virginia Tech I became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. As a member of this organization I put in hundreds of hours into my community. While president of this exemplary organization, my sorority won the Community Service Award among all Fraternity and Sorority life. I also had the opportunity to hold the position of treasurer and secretary throughout the years. Each year, my sorority raised money for numerous organizations such as American Heart Association, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Relay for Life and Ronald McDonald House Charities. I frequently volunteered at food pantries, participated in Campus cleanups and held food drives. While in college, I also participated in many school volunteer events Such as Hokie Helpers where we helped students moving into their dorm, and The Big Event where we helped local community members with a magnitude of tasks.
Volunteerism has shaped my career goals. I look forward to attending Anne Arundel Community College and University of Maryland Baltimore Collaborative Physician Assistant Program. As a Physician Assistant I look forward to continuing to serve my community.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” I truly believe in Gandhi’s words and his words are engrained in my mind and heart forever. I work daily in making sure that I follow those words in everything that I do either at work, school, and on my daily interactions with everyone around me.
Volunteering has taught me one of the greatest lessons of my life and I hope to inspire others to do the same as I become a Physician Assistant and work with others to make our world a better place.