Community Service Necessary

At Marietta College, any student who choses to pursue the study of leadership and receive a major, minor, or certificate in the field must complete either 50, 100 or 125 hours of community service prior to graduation. Luckily, Marietta offers a variety of service options, including some not-so-standard volunteer opportunities. In addition to more traditional service activities, such as tutoring or collecting food for the homeless, MC scholars can also volunteer at the Humane Society or teach a class at the YMCA, and the list doesn't end there.

While some students may groan at the prospect of donating several hours a week to yet another activity, all their work does make a difference. An August 2007 issue of Time magazine included an article called "A Time to Serve," which states that one of the best ways to get citizens engaged is to get them volunteering. In 2006 alone, Americans logged 8.1 billion hours of community service, and the move toward volunteering is still growing.

As a matter of fact, the call for community service has garnered governmental support. Presidential nominee Barack Obama and his running mate Joe Biden have committed themselves to national service. If elected, Obama promises to implement a plan for Universal Voluntary Citizen Service that will encourage Americans to meet the nation's challenges through service, improve education through volunteering and expand the already successful service organizations. Obama hopes to equip all citizens with the knowledge and tools they need to make a difference.