Kelly Chubb
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| My involvement with the Center for Public Service began my sophomore year when I participated in the Poverty and Public Policy Immersion Project to Washington, DC. After this trip I was inspired to continue my involvement in the greater community and followed through with that by working in a homeless shelter during my semester abroad. Being abroad challenges a person in many ways and for me, it forced me to reevaluate how I viewed the world and what role I wanted to play in it. Gettysburg College is so lucky to have the Center for Public Service because it is through working with CPS, that students are given the opportunity to contemplate these bigger issues. I officially joined the CPS staff my senior year and I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I have made while at Gettysburg College. Every day I am challenged by my fellow staff members and supervisors to think and act outside my comfort zone. I have learned to take this type of thinking and have applied it to other areas in my life, whether it is inside the classroom or in a conversation with a friend. I have been exposed to so many social justice issues that I otherwise might not have learned about and more importantly, CPS taught me to look at these issues in a new way. I can now see the interrelatedness of these issues. I think one of the most invaluable lessons that I have learned from CPS is that although I am only one person, I can do something about the issues I feel strongly about. Although I may not be able to create a wide scale change, I can help fight for equality within my own community. There is so much that I still need to learn about social justice and I feel confident that through CPS I have developed the skills that will help me explore this new knowledge. Specifically in CPS I am an Immersion Project Coordinator. I help with the promotion and organization of several Immersion Projects that are sent throughout the country and world over the course of the academic year. I also help train student leaders in facilitating effective and meaningful reflection throughout the trip as well as upon retuning to campus. Through these projects we encourage participants to take an active role in promoting awareness within the Gettysburg community.
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Community partnerships, the core of Center for Public Service programs, strive to be mutually beneficial – fulfilling both a community-identified goals and providing a learning experience for students. Program coordinators serve as liaisons between the Adams County and campus communities to ensure a solid partnership.
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EXPERIENCE
As an Immersion Project Coordinator, I do not have a specific community partner. Rather, the people with whom I have formed the most significant relationships are my fellow Immersion Project Coordinators. My experience as one of three Immersion Project Coordinators has been amazing. I have come to respect and care about my fellow PCs in both a professional and personal regard. We work well together in organizing and planning the details of the trip. We all have different strengths and we have found that when we combine these strengths our work reflects a quality in which we are proud. |
LEARNING
Everyday is a day of leaning in the CPS office. From my fellow PCs I have learned to communicate effectively and when to ask for help. By having to work with several different communities, whether it be the campus faculty, the student body, or our project contacts, I have learned how to conduct myself in a professional manner. I have also learned how important it is to maintain a constant stream of communication within partnerships.
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| Learning Circles aim to bring people from diverse backgrounds together to develop trust, understand each other's experiences, explore social issues and work together for long-term change. For 2008-2009, there are two groups focused on race and class. Ellen focused on class and participated in a community initiative named Cirlces. |
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EXPERIENCE
My experience in the Circles Initiative has been really incredible. I have met some wonderful women who have taught me so much about life as well as myself. Every time I listen to them I am impressed with their strength and perseverance when facing the daily struggles of raising a family on their own while fight to stay above the poverty line. Hearing these stories has opened my eyes to issues of poverty to which I might otherwise have been blind. I have truly enjoyed my time with the Circles community. |
LEARNING
I have grown and learned so much since I first began going to Circles. I learned about my own stereotypes and those that are deeply embedded in society. I have also seen first hand how the systems put in place to help those in need sometimes have the exact opposite affect and there needs to be policy changes in order to truly help those in poverty.
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| Through the Center for Public Service, Program Coordinators support student volunteers through education, training, reflection, communication, logistical coordination and the fostering of community/campus partnerships. |
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EXPERIENCE
As an Immersion Project Coordinator I was lucky enough to work closely with two other PCs. I was able to form great friendships as well as grow personally and professionally because of these close partnerships. By working with my other PCs I was able to develop and practice my leadership skills. By having these relationships I learned when I needed to step up and when it was appropriate to stand back and let my partners handle the situation. |
LEARNING
By working with two other PCs I learned how to delegate work, share responsibility, and work effectively in a partnership. Both my partners and I have different strengths and we were able to help each other grow by sharing these strengths and balancing out our weaknesses. I believe that through this experience I was able to become a better student leader because I was able to continuously practice public speaking, dialogue about sensitive social justice issues, and communicate effectively with my peers- all of these skills help me as a student leader. |
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| Through experiences with the Center for Public Service, Program Coordinators have the opportunity to connect with community, develop professional skills, and find a supportive environment to discover their voice in social change. |
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EXPERIENCE
When I joined CPS I really didn’t think about how it would impact all areas of my life. Because I have been able to work with CPS I have seen a great increase in both my personal and professional development. As an Immersion Project Coordinator I am responsible for recruiting participants for trips, facilitating reflection, and dealing with many of the day to day issues that arise with the projects. All of these responsibilities have helped develop my professional skills and helped me carry myself with maturity in the office. |
LEARNING
Like many people I do not enjoy talking in front of large groups or being center of attention. My work with CPS has really taught me how to become more comfortable with public speaking. The constant contact that I am in with the participants has also taught me how to effectively communicate. Because Immersion Projects incorporate a lot of students I have been able to learn how to handle situations that may be uncomfortable or difficult (for example, if participants are not abiding by deadlines, making meetings, etc). Overall the best way that CPS has helped me in my professional development is that it has fostered my confidence which will ultimately enable me to be an effective leader. |
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300 North Washington Street · Gettysburg, PA 17325