Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News (2024)

Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News (1)

Florida State University students play a pivotal role in supporting the Tallahassee economy. But beyond their economic contributions, students also make a significant impact through community engagement and service.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, more than 4,250 FSU students dedicated nearly 236,000 hours of service, worth an estimated $7.5 million, to nonprofit organizations.

“By volunteering and giving back, students can make a real difference in the lives of others and help build a stronger, more connected community,” said Amy Hecht, vice president for Student Affairs. “Acts of service not only benefit the organization and recipients, but also instill a sense of civic responsibility and social awareness in students. Students who volunteer are nurturing their own personal growth and development, as well as helping shape the future of our community.”

Local agencies served by FSU students in recent years include The Kearney Center, Project Annie and Second Harvest of the Big Bend Food Bank.

Positive impact

As the region’s primary source for charitable food, Second Harvest provides healthy food for those facing hunger and food insecurity throughout the 16-county Big Bend service area. They say they could not accomplish their vision without the help of FSU students.

“The value that Florida State students bring to Second Harvest is immeasurable,” said Ashleigh Wilson, communications coordinator at Second Harvest. “Students at FSU often help coordinate food drives, help with our daily operations and commit to consistently serving our community directly.”

Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News (2)

Second Harvest’s facility serves as the storage and distribution depot for more than 149 smaller frontline agency partners in their efforts to feed the hungry and educate the community about the fight to end hunger.

Kate Ash, a recent graduate from the Dedman College of Hospitality, found out about Second Harvest through a Leadership in Groups class during her sophomore year.

During her time with Second Harvest, Ash served as a volunteer and intern, even bringing in groups from her sorority to donate their time. She has helped coordinate volunteers and organized the volunteer appreciation week.

“While it can be hard for students to take the time to volunteer, it gets you outside of your bubble,” Ash said. “You’ll realize that you are not only making a positive impact on the community, but that it can make a positive impact on you.”

How students find opportunities

The Center for Leadership and Service, the campus hub for service, is charged with helping students develop skills and knowledge to become more effective leaders and engage responsibly with communities. Through various programs and resources, the center aims to foster and sustain collaborative relationships among students, the FSU campus and the broader community.

EngageTLH, one program the center offers, fosters meaningful connections between the FSU and Tallahassee communities with the goal of making service accessible for students. The program offers service trips to community partner agencies on various days and times.

Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News (3)

Trips have addressed such needs as animal care, K-12 academic development, environmental sustainability, elder care, food insecurity and homelessness.

“Students only commit to one trip when they sign up but often return when they find a cause they are passionate about,” said Maria-Paula McIntyre, who coordinates the EngageTLH program. “Many go on to take leadership roles, guiding other students through service as trained facilitators and helping them understand the community needs their service helps alleviate.”

Last year, about 800 students went on 160 service trips to 19 local agencies through the EngageTLH program, providing an economic impact of $48,700, according to the Independent Sector’s Value of Volunteer Time Report.

Joi Phillips, director of the Center for Leadership & Service, emphasized the importance of the reciprocal relationship between FSU students and the broader community.

“We appreciate the community allowing our students the opportunity to learn from and with them,” Phillips said. “We know that experiential learning as a high-impact practice provides students with the skills to serve as leaders in their communities and to make sustainable change that lasts beyond them and their time in Tallahassee.”

The center also offers programs such as the Service Scholar program, Service Leadership Seminar and the Conversation Café that connect students with opportunities focusing on the areas of leadership, service and civic engagement.

Sophomore Hillary Harbauer has used the center’s resources to get involved. She is a part of the Service Scholar program, is a facilitator for weekly service trips through EngageTLH, serves as a community ambassador and mentors students in service leadership Engage 100 courses.

Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News (4)

As a peer mentor through Engage 100, Harbauer facilitates classes that prepare new students to venture into service opportunities in the Tallahassee community.

“Whether we are learning about the Community Ambassadors program or EngageTLH, I support my students by sharing my experiences and sharing the insights I have learned and opportunities that I have found being a part of these programs,” Harbauer said.

She said that a large part of her undergraduate journey so far has been recognizing that there is much to be learned from those in communities different from your own: “My main driving factor is that I understand what it feels like to be overlooked based on your circumstances.”

Solving problems with research

Many FSU students choose to get involved with undergraduate research through the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement (CRE) or pursue master’s and doctoral degrees through The Graduate School with a research focus on a particular issue. Some of these research projects grapple with issues that face the greater Tallahassee community, initiate conversations and propose collaborative possible solutions.

“Conducting community-informed research has the potential to benefit the student and the collaborating community in powerful ways,” said Latika Young, director of the CRE. “Beyond the typical research skills of design and analysis, students conducting research with and within communities practice the additional skills of networking and partnership development, self-reflexivity and communication skills, among others. These research projects often have instrumental impacts on communities by encouraging stakeholder engagement, modifying behavior and interventions and even informing policy and legislation.”

Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News (5)

Senior Alycia Drapcho worked on the research project “GIS Analysis of Heavy Precipitation Events & Contamination in Lake Munson.” Community wastewater spills have the potential to adversely affect community health and water supplies. Drapcho utilized geographic information systems, to examine the possible spread of contaminants beyond initial spill points and the effectiveness of cleanup efforts.

“I think it means focusing on how the bigger, general issues like pollution are affecting us on a smaller, local scale and presenting that in an effort to raise awareness,” Drapcho said. “I was drawn to this project because, like I said, hearing how big issues affect us and not really being able to see it on a small scale, made me more interested to better grasp those concepts. FSU’s research facilities and connections with local researchers allowed us access to up-to-date data, as well as firsthand experiences and insights from researchers familiar with our subject matter and how it has affected the Tallahassee area.”

Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News (6)

Camila Aponte, a recent graduate, worked on the research project “Assessing Public Participation in Redevelopment Projects: A Case Study of Tallahassee, Florida.” Her research focused on the social impact of participatory tools in neighborhoods undergoing redevelopment projects and resulted in proposed policy recommendations for future projects.

She says that the CRE and DeVoe L. Moore Center have provided her invaluable guidance throughout her research journey.

“Engaging in research with the Tallahassee community gave me insight into communities that have been impacted by local decision-making for generations,” Aponte said. “Working on this project allowed me to look at a topic that had never been explored before and having the opportunity to work and learn alongside other students, a team leader and mentor.”

Benefits of experiential learning

FSU student-service opportunities provide immense value to the community while also allowing students to gain valuable insights and have formative experiences that go beyond their time at Florida State University.

Experiential learning allows students to apply and strengthen their knowledge and skills through hands-on experiences outside the classroom. Other community engagement opportunities exist through internships, international study, creative activities and coursework.

“We’re grateful to give FSU students these unique opportunities to get outside the classroom, engage with the broader community and deepen their understanding of the issues that affect our region,” said Joe O’Shea, associate provost and dean of Undergraduate Studies. “This is the kind of work that inspires students to become the leaders of their generation and use their talents to make a lasting impact in the world.”

For more information about experiential learning opportunities at FSU, visit studentsuccess.fsu.edu.

Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News (2024)

FAQs

Transforming Tallahassee: Florida State University students contribute $7.5 million in volunteer hours - Florida State University News? ›

But beyond their economic contributions, students also make a significant impact through community engagement and service. During the 2022-2023 academic year, more than 4,250 FSU students dedicated nearly 236,000 hours of service, worth an estimated $7.5 million, to nonprofit organizations.

What percentage of FSU students are from Florida? ›

Students hailed from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 80.2 of all students were Floridians, and 94.4% were from the United States.

Is FSU a party school? ›

FSU is the No. 2 party school in America, according to Niche. The most popular clubs, such as Recess, Potbelly's, The Strip, Clydes, The Warehouse and Baja's, can be found within a 15-minute radius of most student housing.

What is FSU known for? ›

A comprehensive, graduate research university, FSU is among U.S. News & World Report's top-ranked public universities and boasts the highest amount of National Science Foundation research funding in the state. In addition to a rigorous academic reputation, FSU is committed to a student-centered education.

How big is FSU? ›

Florida State University is a public institution that was founded in 1851. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 32,936 (fall 2022), its setting is city, and the campus size is 488 acres.

What percent of FSU is white? ›

Office of Institutional Research
NumberPercent
Hispanic8,94520.5%
Native Hawaiian280.1%
Non-Resident Alien2,8026.4%
White24,18755.3%
6 more rows

Is FSU a prestigious school? ›

Florida State University is ranked #53 out of 439 National Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.

Is FSU a Coke campus? ›

While no state universities in Florida have campus-wide soft drink contracts, many have agreements for specific campus concessions. Florida State vending machines dispense only Coke; the cafeteria serves Pepsi, and for three years, Coca-Cola's Powerade has been the official drink of FSU's sports teams.

Does FSU support Lgbtq? ›

The LGBTQ+ Resource Center at FSU provides programming, education, and a safer place for all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Is FSU a dry campus? ›

Please be aware, though, that if you choose to live on campus, it is a dry campus (meaning no alcohol allowed in the dorms), and there is an age limit (25 and under)!

Is FSU hard academically? ›

Students admitted for Fall 2023 had an average core GPA of 4.4, (4.3 – 4.6 middle 50th), an ACT composite score of 31 (29 – 32 middle 50th), and an SAT total score of 1370 (1310 – 1430 middle 50th). Seventy-six percent of the admitted students earned all A & B grades in a rigorous academic curriculum.

Is FSU or UF better academically? ›

- FSU and UF both offer a wide range of majors and academic programs, but they each have their own areas of strength. UF is generally considered to be a little more academically prestigious and has stronger programs in engineering, business, and the sciences.

What are the cons of FSU? ›

Limited academic options: FSU is a smaller university, which means that students may have limited options in terms of academic programs and course offerings. Less diverse student body: FSU may not be as diverse as other universities, both in terms of its student body and its academic programs.

What is the girl to guy ratio at FSU? ›

At Florida State University (FSU), the male to female ratio is pretty even. As of Fall 2023, the undergraduate population consists of approximately 58% female and 42% male students. With a relatively balanced gender distribution, you should find that the campus environment feels quite diverse.

Is FSU an expensive school? ›

Florida State University's tuition is $6,517 for in-state and $21,683 for out-of-state students.

What percent of FSU is Greek? ›

About 22 percent of FSU undergrads belong to a fraternity or sorority. Thrasher, who pledged FSU's Sigma Phi Epsilon when he was a student there, hasn't specified exactly what the fraternities and sororities must do for the suspension to be lifted.

What percent of FSU students identify as Native Americans? ›

The enrolled student population at Florida State University (134097), both undergraduate and graduate, is 56.6% White, 20.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.97% Black or African American, 4.11% Two or More Races, 3.45% Asian, 0.125% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0793% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

What percentage of UF students are from Florida? ›

Sunshine State Domination: The Florida Factor

Brace yourselves, because this might sting a bit for our out-of-state friends: The vast majority, a whopping 87.56%, of UF students hail from the glorious state of Florida according to College Factual [invalid URL removed].

What percent of Floridians go to college? ›

Florida's colleges remain the primary point of access to higher education in Florida, with 65 percent of the state's high school graduates pursuing postsecondary education beginning at a Florida college, and 82 percent of freshman and sophomore minority students in public higher education attending one of Florida's 28 ...

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