Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

10 Ways To Make A Difference At Umaine, Sarah O'Malley

Social Justice: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

One of the many amazing things about the college of our hearts always is its endless opportunities to make an impact, whether it be on this campus, in the state of Maine, for the United States or on a global scale. The best way to get involved is to collaborate with some of the amazing service, activist or political student clubs. With so many options, meetings and events it’s hard to know where to begin. Here are 10 organizations that are a great place to start.

Building A Spiritual Home: Religious Engagement Of Former Vincentian Volunteers, Scott Kelley, Patricia Wittberg

Mission and Ministry Publications

Recent academic and popular literature has postulated a “story of diminishment” when speaking of the religious practice of young adults in the United States. The current paper looks at the impact of volunteer service on the likelihood that young adults will remain connected to organized religion through an analysis of two studies of young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 who had previously participated in volunteer programs that were sponsored by various Catholic organizations in the Vincentian tradition. The first study, conducted between February and May of 2014 by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) …

Intercultural Hierarchy Reinforced Through North American Voluntourism Efforts In Latin America And The Caribbean, Nancy Michelle Ford

Student Scholarship

In this thesis, my goal is to share the insight I have gleaned from my academic, professional and personal involvement in the region. The most dominant theme I have observed is the rising trend of North American volunteer tourism (also referred to as “voluntourism”) in LAC and unanticipated consequences it involves. This trend reinforces an intercultural hierarchy, which will be the focus of my study.

I will begin with an overview of the intercultural, hierarchical mentality and explain two key aspects it involves: the North American “Planner” or “fix-it” tendencies toward the region, and the region’s developed dependence on North …

Altrusim, Fact Or Fiction?: An Exploration Of Altruism And Egoism In The Context Of Religion And Service Learning, Sarah Pawlicki

A with Honors Projects

This research paper questions the existence of true altruism, by discussing social psychological, philosophical, and theological theories regarding altruism and egoism. The author then discusses her findings in the context of two service learning projects which involved volunteering at the Champaign County Humane Society and Salt and Light, A Christian ministry that provides job counseling, computer access, a thrift and food store. She concludes that, rather than questioning the existence of true altruism exists, the focus should be on doing good for others, regardless of motives.

The Impact Of College Student Immersion Service Learning Trips On Coping With Stress And Vocational Identity, Brad A. Mills, Richard B. Bersamina, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

This study examined the impact of service learning immersion trips on vocational identity and coping with stress among college students. Fifty-one students (15 males, 36 females) who participated in immersion trips and 76 students (25 males, 51 females) in a non-immersion control group completed a series of questionnaires directly before and immediately after both fall and spring break immersion trips, and during a four-month follow up. Results suggest that, after returning from an immersion trip, students report a greater ability to cope with stress and a somewhat stronger sense of vocational identity relative to students who do not participate in …