Stories of Transformation – Of Thought, Of Life’s Purpose, Of Community

Numbers seem to occupy our minds attention so there is a tendency to report on the number of service hours students complete.  The higher the number, the greater the value –some would conclude.  Our numbers rival, and oftentimes outpace most other schools, but in service there are elegant stories of lives transformed and at an education of higher learning that is what is worth publicizing.

At William and Mary students “do service” with much more intensity than most would imagine.  While every student is unique, there are some common characteristics that create a delicious recipe for deep involvement in service. They are smart.  They are motivated.  They are reflective.  They are young adults desperately trying to discover their purpose.  The service journey is long and complicated.  It is developmental, but it is not linear.  It often sparks curiosity and enlivens a commitment to coursework.  A few examples:

Ordinary Actions

Devin Oller writes, “What I do is not extraordinary; in many ways, my accomplishments—the service trips I lead, the projects I create—represent my drive to empower those who are truly exceptional, to give their voices faculty. I am most proud of the programs and projects I conceive of that can grow and thrive while I am not in Kenya or Tanzania—the efforts that emerge from a singular and sustainable community vision (Peer-to-peer HIV Education in Tanzania, or the Losho Women’s hand-washing group). I throw every ounce of energy, even without my Super Cape, into making those visions achievable.

This is Only the Beginning

For many the transformative experience of William and Mary’s service community happens quickly. For Margaret Summers it happened one night in Nicaragua after seeing the gross inequalities between nations. In her words, “I sat in a hammock that night and wrote furiously in my diary, wanting to remember all the people I met and conceptualize the community I was confronting.” But she is far from done growing. The system of support William and Mary provides has helped to guide her exploration, questioning and understanding of the world outside of Williamsburg. But there is more to be done.

Communities, Solidarity, Compassion

Nik Belanger understands the complicated problems that surround us. He understands the impenetrability of the system, the depth of the questions, the history behind rooted inequality. But even grasping the solemnity of these problems, Nik believes there is a way to move forward. “At William and Mary, we don’t do impossible,” he suggests, “We do solidarity. We do unity. We do community. And through that community, we do change.” This commitment to community action and organizing, to compassion for others that surround you, drives his work at the College and its surrounding community.

Numbers are impressive at first glance (300 tutors, 400 in Alpha Phi Omega, most internatioanl service trips in the US)  but the stories demonstrate transformation – of thought, of a life, and in the best cases of community.