Lisa Droege's Reflections

My experience with community partnership has been positive and eye-opening. Over the past semester, I have been able to learn and augment my understanding of what a non-profit does and the goals which it tries to obtain. Working with community partners at the Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in Adams County has allowed me the opportunity to enhance my understanding of the inner workings of a non-profit, improve my communication skills with professionals, and develop a better perspective as to what happens in the day-to-day activities of the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. My time with working with my community partners has given me greater knowledge about how to have honest, open, and thoughtful conversations about setting and obtaining programmatic goals, my expectations, as well as what I hope to discover as a Program Coordinator. I have become a more confident student leader and organizer and I am more self-assured that I can achieve goals I set for myself in fighting social injustice. 

My learning and growth with my community partnership has come through my volunteers and their progress with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. My time with the Center for Public Service has helped me discover a great deal about my ability to lead and educate my volunteers about social justice issues which are important to the program which they participate in each week. Working with my community partner has helped me realize that the situation which affects so many of the youth in the BBBS program is not unique in Adams County and that it is important to realize the positive influence which BBBS volunteers have. Through my partnership with the BBBS agency I have learned about the beneficial and positive impact which I have on my community and how I can influence others to become more active in combating social injustices affecting youth.

My time with the E-race learning circle has been a positive and enriching experience. I have been able to think critically about racial justice issues that relate to my life as well as understand my role as a white woman and what I can do to further racial equality. The activities which E-race provided me allowed me to analyze white privilege, to work with other white students in an Affinity group to recognize my place in fighting inequality and to speak with faculty members across campus to investigate and examine white privilege in the classroom. I have become more comfortable discussing issues concerning race and I have become more influential in engaging other students in a dialogue about campus unity. 

My learning through E-race has broadened over the past year and I have become more at ease when talking about race and how I can further develop my place in fighting racism. I have learned how to think critically about race, analyze decisions made in the classroom and on campus in relation to race, and how to effectively engage others in racial discussion. I have learned how to identify myself as a white woman and what I can do to fight injustices.

Being a student leader on campus has become part of my identity at Gettysburg College. I have recently found that not only am I a student leader, but I am a student of influence and my time here must be used to positively impact the community around me while influencing others to join with me in combating social inequalities. I have had numerous positive experiences with leadership through the Center for Public Service, many of which involve my direct participation with my student volunteers while working with littles at the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. I have found that the best experiences were when I was able to see the progress which was made with volunteers as well as the joy they received from tutoring.

Acting as an effective and influential student leader does not always come naturally; it takes time, dedication, and learning to be able to encourage volunteering on a college campus. My progress throughout my time with the Center for Public Service with student leadership has taught me a great deal. I have learned how to organize and encourage college tutors to be passionate about social justice issues concerning at-risk youth while overseeing a program with energetic volunteers and elementary school students. My learning has not just occurred through working with volunteers, but it has also progressed through working with like minded people and other student leaders who are equally as passionate about social justice.

My experience with the Center for Public Service as awarded me the opportunity to develop and strengthen my personal and professional skills. I have been able to develop strong and clear communication and organizational skills while maintaining honest and open relationships with professional community members. My experience has also allowed me to become more outgoing in my communication skills with my volunteers by letting them know about my expectations as well as how they can achieve the goals they set out with at the beginning of the year. My ability to think critically about social justice issues as also augmented my personal development by allowing me to apply the talents I have learned through CPS to my interactions with professional agency partners and volunteers.

This experience with the Center for Public Service as given me the chance to learn more about social justice issues which matter to me while allowing me to grow in my personal development as a student. I have learned about my place on campus as a student of influence and what I have to do to guide others in the quest for social equality. I have found that through educating myself and talking with my community partner that I can enhance my understanding of what I can do to improve inequalities in my community.