WVU to participate in state conference on volunteerism

July 9th, 2004

Hundreds of West Virginians with the dream of makingAlmost Heaveneven better will gather at Lakeview Resort near Morgantown July 12-14 for the 2004 State Conference on Volunteerism, National Service and Service Learning.Faces of Leadershipwill be the theme as the West Virginia Campus Compact joins the state in spotlighting those who are making a difference in their communities through volunteer service. The conference is sponsored by the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service.

More than 400 people are expected to take part in the three-day event,said Kim Colebank, interim director for WVCC and West Virginia University’s Office of Service Learning Programs.This years 60 workshops are packed with practical ideas for bringing out peoples hidden talents.

One of the highlights of this years conference is an issues forum led by a team of West Virginia college students, focusing on how to create opportunities for the next generation of West Virginias leaders, said Kelly Regan, WVCC program assistant. Conference participants will have a chance to view a videotape developed by the Compacts Raise Your Voice campaign and the West Virginia Center for Civic Life. Participants will then discuss the issues in small breakout groups.

Certainly the future generations forum is a major highlight,said Jean Ambrose, executive director of the Commission for National and Community Service.Every year we do a large group activity that pulls together this community of fabulous people from around the state who are volunteers. Theyre leaders for the common good.

We discuss an important issue for West Virginia,she added.Last year, we talked about how the volunteer and economic communities could make this a more vibrant place, and this year, with the help of young people, were following up on that.

Maxine Waller with the Volunteers for Communities Program will deliver the opening keynote address,Discovering Leadership: Inside, Outside, Upside Down,in which she describes how the tiny Appalachian town of Ivanhoe, Va., inspired thousands of citizens to be volunteers.

Maxine Waller is a nationally known grassroots leader who has developed a vibrant volunteer organization thats done amazing things to save its town,Ambrose said.Its a story thats very common to West Virginians, but they did something about it. Shes an example of someone who didnt think of herself as a leader when this started, but she stepped up to the plate. Volunteerism and service help people find their talents. Once they find their leadership capacity, theres no stopping them, and shes a terrific example of that.

Other guests include Nick Longo, the national student coordinator for Raise Your Voice, based in Providence, R.I.; Sherita Moses, a student at Langston (Okla.) University, who works in the organization’s national office during the summer; and Ellen Love, a graduate of Brown University in Providence and Raise Your Voice student fellow.

Longo, who received his undergraduate degree in political science and public service at Providence College, first got involved in the Raise Your Voice initiative as a graduate student at the University of Minnesota.

We helped fund West Virginias work, and Kelly (Regan) invited me down to see some of the work being done and to talk about the national perspective,he said.West Virginia has really provided leadership, creating space for students to talk about essential issues that are important to the state. Our work addresses the need to get young people involved in political engagement and service learning.

The West Virginia Campus Compact is headquartered on the WVU campus. The Compact is one of 30 state members of National Campus Compact and currently includes 13 campuses across the state.

The organization’s mission is to provide a commitment to public and community service, develop a lifelong service ethic and work to cultivate service opportunities for students to develop academic programs and public policies that encourage and support community service.

WVCC on the Net:http://www.wvu.edu/~wvcc/

* CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

*Monday, July 12

  • Leadership: Inside, Outside, Upside DownMaxine Waller, 12:30 p.m.
  • Workshops1:30-5 p.m.

Tuesday, July 13

  • Shaping the Faces of LeadershipMary Merrill, 9 a.m.
  • For Future Generations Issues Forum WVCC , 10:30 a.m.
  • Workshops1:30-5 p.m.
  • West Virginia Campus Compact press conference5 p.m.
  • Governor’s Service Awards Banquet6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, July 14

  • Workshops9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  • Conference closing1:30 p.m.