By Kiara Catanzaro
News Assignment Editor
St. Bonaventure University emphasizes the Franciscan tradition of service. Last week, the campus community received a challenge from the United Way to pledge 2,000 students, faculty and alumni to volunteer in 10 days. The community came together and met its goal with 2,010 pledges.
Arthur Moats, a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills, will visit campus sometime during the spring semester, although the official date hasn’t been announced yet, according to Simone Bernstein, senior social entrepreneurship and altruism major and co-founder of VolunTEEN Nation.
“The United Way is teaming up with NFL teams across the country to encourage more people to volunteer,” Bernstein said. “I wanted to get involved in this initiative since it’s an incredible cause and an amazing opportunity to engage the campus community.”
Bernstein discussed her apprehension with meeting the goal.
“I was nervous toward the end of the challenge as we approached the deadline,” Bernstein said. “But, I was always confident that the Bona’s community would pull through to help us achieve the 2,000-pledge goal.”
Aside from working with the St. Bonaventure community, Bernstein works with other communities throughout the nation to inspire people to volunteer.
“I’m involved in planning many national campaigns to encourage more young people to volunteer,” Bernstein said. “Organizing and coordinating this competition is an amazing opportunity for me to use my own creativity, reach, and expertise to drive this initiative and help Team Moats recruit volunteers.”
Other students from St. Bonaventure took time throughout the 10 days to host sign-ups in various locations on campus such as The Hickey Dining Hall and the Reilly Center. Emily Jo Manchester, a sophomore Spanish major, was one of the students who helped reach the goal.
“Last Friday, I found out that we needed less than 100 pledges to reach the goal,” Manchester said. “Sitting in the Reilly Center, I tried to reach out to every available student that walked by. It became a mission.”
Manchester expressed her appreciation to the students who pledged to volunteer.
“It feels great to be a part of a community that is dedicated to volunteering,” Manchester said.
Bernstein explained why St. Bonaventure students should give back to their local communities.
“Most people at St. Bonaventure don’t volunteer for rewards or recognition. Public acknowledgement and tokens of appreciation are effective incentives to increase participation,” Bernstein said. “By encouraging more people at St. Bonaventure to volunteer, hopefully this campaign will encourage more students to give back.”
Despite the success of this service challenge, Bernstein doesn’t plan to organize future challenges for the St. Bonaventure community.
“I would love to organize another volunteer challenge at St. Bonaventure, but I’m a senior and there’s not much time until graduation,” Bernstein said. “If anyone wants to get involved in organizing national service projects and writing service-related articles, we would love for more St. Bonaventure students to get involved in VolunTEEN Nation.”
