Welcome, 2014-2015!

Welcome back to another great year, Utes!

Here in the Bennion Center we're SO excited to get going and give you all the resources and information you need to be an engaged citizen in your communities. We have tons of awesome events to start off the year, first off which is the Service Social tonight, August 27th, at the Officers' Gazebo in housing. Here's a little video we prepared with Adobe Voice to give you an idea of what's in store!

Be on the lookout for events, updates, and information from us through our various social media sites!

You can find us on...

• Twitter: @bennioncenter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bennioncenter
• Instagram: @bennioncenter
• Our blog: bennioncenter.blogspot.com
• Our website: bennioncenter.org
• In the Union, Room 101! We have super comfy couches and tea. 

We're here to help you, and get you everything you could possibly need to be an active and prepared volunteer. Please feel free to always stop by with questions and inquires, or hit us up on social media. We'll get you what you need as soon as possible. 

Finally, THANK YOU for being awesome, and giving your time to service. Being in college is demanding, so it's incredible to have so many of you busy, engaged students part of such great efforts! 

Top Five Reasons to Volunteer with Project Youth

• It’s an incredible cause: Here you are, a University of Utah student surrounded by the best in higher education. You’re here for a purpose: to increase your skills, opportunities, and relationships for a brighter future. Project Youth exists for the same purpose, with the added importance of making the future brighter for kids who may not have considered college. Their future starts with you.

• It’s an ego boost: Think back to when you were in sixth grade. Didn’t you feel like the coolest chump in the school? You also probably had a hero that you would have given anything to meet. You can be that hero for these kids, even for just one day. From the moment they set foot on the U campus, you are their mentor, and they will adore you.

• It’s schedule friendly: As a college kid, you are juggling theoretical calculus, a lawn-mowing job, snarky roommates, car trouble and a dozen other demands, not to mention a social life. With Project Youth, you can still get the satisfaction of volunteering without the stress of a long-term and potentially draining commitment. Only have a few hours? Come to orientation and then the day of. Want to be a little more involved? Contact the Bennion Center for opportunities to help with planning and school outreach. Be warned: if you’re like me, you’ll love it enough to stay involved for your entire college experience.

• It’s a resume builder, but not just a resume builder: No employer likes it when they can tell an applicant has simply tried to pad their resume for length’s sake. But with Project Youth, you can participate in something that not only shows your generosity and involvement, but actually helps develop transferable skills like organizational leadership and public speaking. Kudos to you, kid.

• It’s all about the love: Know from day one that our visiting elementary students will love you. However, you just might find romance, too. Two years ago, two colleagues of mine from a student group met at Project Youth; they are now only a few weeks from getting married and as giddy as Opus penguin learning to fly. It’s happened before, and maybe it could happen to you too, but either way, you’ll come out of this volunteer experience with a handful of burgeoning friendships.

-Megan Gessel Brewster, Project Youth 2013 Co-Director

Bennion Center Service Corps

Bennion Center Service Corps has proved the most rewarding experience of college thus far.  Approached by a friend with an idea to begin a group that helps with service projects whenever needed, I was soon after approached by Linda with an idea to form a Service Corps that recruits volunteers for miscellaneous project ideas that come to the Bennion Center.

The purpose of the Corps is to recruit student volunteers who prefer to volunteer on a less consistent basis, and help with a wide variety of monthly projects.  The Service Corps has seemed to fill a need previously unfulfilled as non-profits and various individuals have requested for volunteers, and we have been able to recruit and deliver student volunteers to get projects done!  We have helped at The American Cancer Society Gala, KUED phone in donation night, The Road Home’s Chili Night, Salt Lake City Health Fair, and other non-profit events.  Additionally, we have really enjoyed generating our own projects and also helping individuals throughout the Salt Lake community in need of a paint job on their house, someone to visit, or a meal delivered to them. 

In October we had the amazing opportunity to provide volunteers to paint a woman named Alma’s house.  Alma is a mother of 6, a volunteer at schools in the Granite School District, and an advocate for higher education in her community.  When informed that she needed a stucco and paint job on her house, Beau (co-chair of the BCSC) arranged for a stucco job and recruited volunteers for painting.  We spent a Saturday painting Alma’s home, and were able to meet her and her family.  I saw how pleasantly surprised and relieved Alma was to have the job done.  Her happiness continues motivating me to seek out those in need and provide help for them; doing so doesn’t take much effort, and rewards me with substantial feelings of accomplishment and fulfillment.  This first semester has been full of many projects for the Service Corps.  

Taking a step back at each of these projects, I have seen volunteers, my peers, and those being served all in a state of extreme happiness.  These projects have provided an opportunity for the BCSC volunteers to connect with people from all areas, backgrounds, and non-profit organizations from the area.  I couldn't be more excited for the projects coming up this semester, and for the connections and friends I anticipate making in the process.

-Jessie Du Pre, BCSC co-chair