Shining Stars

Many Americans spend one day each year, Thanksgiving, to give thanks for all they have. However, sometimes doing something for another person who is less fortunate is the only way people can truly understand or appreciate what they have. At least, that is what Kelly Ballard, STLCC-Meramec math professor and Math Club sponsor, said she would like students to know.

"If you don't try to imagine what other people are going through, and the cliché of standing in someone else's shoes, you really don't learn about yourself," Ballard said. "You don't figure out the depth of your compassion. You don't figure out even an appreciation for what you have." Ballard and the students that belong to the math club she sponsors are one of the many groups on campus who reach out to people in need in the community.

What motivates Meramec students to volunteer? Is it teachers who set the standard, peers who are role models, the basic desire to help people, a person's upbringing or the scholarships that reward students for their community service? "Whether you come at it the right way or not, you need to do something for somebody else," Ballard said. "It's not about making me feel better about myself, it's about [others] feeling better."

While many students maintain a commitment to helping others for altruistic reasons, they can simultaneously help themselves in the process. Volunteer service has helped numerous Meramec students obtain valuable scholarships and impress potential employers.

"If students can keep academics up and find the time to engage in the campus and the community, that's what universities are looking for," said Eric Meyer, Meramec Honors Program coordinator. Women's Society of Washington University's Danforth Scholarship in particular awards full scholarships to STLCC students like Meramec alumni Jack Duncan and Eve Ilves for their dedication to and leadership in serving the community.

Meyer points out that although it is difficult to sacrifice time spent earning a living, for students like Ilves the sacrifice can pay off. "Give up some of those hours [working] and dedicate those hours to working in your community and on campus and that will very likely earn you, not guaranteed, but very likely earn you tens of thousands of dollars when you transfer," said Meyer.

Ilves cut back on working and instead volunteered through Phi Theta Kappa, in turn winning a Danforth scholarship worth $87,000.

"I asked her, 'Could you have saved that much in the two years you were here at Meramec had you worked full-time or even two full-time jobs?' She said, 'Absolutely not. There's no way I could have earned that money by working,'" said Meyer.

In their efforts to keep students on the right track, some teachers go so far as to give extra credit for volunteering. Some even make community service a course requirement. While these kinds of measures motivate many students to help those in need, sometimes it takes creative and enthusiastic peers to lead by example.

Meramec student Anan Takroori (see opposite page to learn more about Takroori's involvement) led the math club for four years on countless service activities. "Anan has always been great to get the students involved and get them excited about doing it," Ballard said. "He's a cheerleader. He keeps us inspired." In addition to serving organizations in the community such as Habitat for Humanity, Takroori also dedicates himself to organizing a campus event each semester, "Mathapalooza," his brainchild.

Mathapalooza is a fundraiser held in the student center in which participants solve math problems in order to win prizes. Pizza and soda are sold for one dollar in order to raise money for organizations such as Nurses for Newborns. Club money pays for the prizes and lunch, which in turn generates donations that reached a total of $390 dollars one semester, Takroori said.

"Even if you give us $5, that's $5 more than we had 10 minutes ago," said Meramec student and avid volunteer Pete Schweiss (read more about how Schweiss makes a difference on the opposite page). Schweiss donates his time to helping Jobs and Employment Support Services raise money. While fundraising helps organizations raise money, relying on volunteers helps them save money.

"It's really a struggle, especially in this economy, to stay alive as a non-profit because the first thing that goes down is donations," Schweiss said.

While non-profits rely heavily on financial contributions from federal, state, local and individual levels, they also sustain themselves on the services rendered by volunteers.

"If you can't give money, give time," Schweiss said.

Anan Takroori

By Anna Nowotny

Anan Takroori is planning on going to space. In the meantime, he prepares for a career in aerospace engineering by volunteering with local organizations. Although his dedication to organizing and participating in volunteer activities will likely earn him valuable scholarships, his genuine desire to improve the community shines through.

"Building homes, working with kids and cleaning Simpson's Lake, of course, you can't say no to this," said Takroori. Takroori said one of the main reasons he finds satisfaction in volunteering is because he hopes one day it will help Palestine, his home country.

"I am from a different country and I love to come here and help. Hopefully, one day people will go to my country and help because we need it more," Takroori said. "…If I help here [in America], maybe people will understand and then they will help somewhere else, and it will keep going, keep going, and one day it will reach my country." For now, Takroori helps recruit and keep students involved in volunteering. Many people who volunteer with Takroori recognize his compassion and enthusiasm. His professor and sponsor of the math club, Kelly Ballard believes that his caring and compassion could be attributed to his upbringing.

"I think he has a very good understanding of if you are in a bad situation or if you don't have a lot, what life is like. Being able to give and improve people's lives is an easy thing [for him] to do," said Ballard.

Regardless of what motivates Takroori to volunteer, it is clear that he enjoys doing it.

"It was really so much fun. We painted the house, put in some cabinets and actually painted the outside of the house. So we did a lot of work," said Takroori about volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. For Takroori, the hard work pays off in the end when he gets to see the impact it has on the lives of the homebuyers.

"We decided to come to Habitat again just because you see the owner when they buy the house so you actually can feel like you're doing something," said Takroori.

Bryan Young

By Janelle Turner

Bryan Young of the STLCC-Meramec Business Administration Department has his business class in a competition to help the hungry. For the past three years, Young has been working with Donna Halsband, coordinator of Service Learning, through this service project in which students collect canned foods to donate to local charities Kirk Care and Circle of Concern. "It all goes back to class and provides hands-on experience, and when it is all done most are amazed that we can accomplish so much," said Young. Every six weeks, Young's classes set goal for the number of cans and food they want to collect. They then divide into two groups within their classes and strategize how they will collect the most. "The competition is good and they always outperform. It spurs them to challenge themselves," said Young. The classes have always exceeded their goals each term, the last one being more than 3,600 food items. Along with this, the students receive extra credit and the winning group wins an undisclosed prize. "We wanted to get out of the textbook and out into the real world and make class fun," Young continued. "I think it's an awesome opportunity for students to make a difference."

Mary Beth Lee

By Carlos Restrepo

Many students come to Meramec, go to class and leave. Doing this will get them their degree. However, for Mary Beth Lee, student activities secretary, coming to school to take a class is not enough.

Lee, aside from being student activities secretary, is also representative of the Official Meramec Gamers' Club and representative of Meramec Cares. Lee's work in these groups embodies what it means to go above and beyond.

"I am motivated to participate in all these different clubs because I am reaching out to others to get them involved in what is happening on campus instead of them just coming on campus to just go to class and leave at the end of the day," Lee said.

Lee said since she came to Meramec in 2005, she thought it was a great college to go to before heading to a university. In these four years she has participated in many fundraising and food-drive events associated with different clubs, always helping others.

When 2010 comes around, Lee said she will move on to obtain her teaching degree at a four-year university. She said she hopes other students after her continue to help others.

"Its important to participate and help other students because they are the ones who bring new ideas to the clubs and help make the clubs and organizations better by joining them and helping bring new things to the students on Meramec's campus," Lee said.