Volunteers Honored for 11,111 Hours of Service

Volunteers Honored for 11,111 Hours of Service

29 Students, Employees and Alumni Give Equivalent of 463 Days of Service

The final tally:  11,111 hours, or a cumulative 463 days.

That’s how much time 29 members of the UT Dallas family spent in community service last year.  In recogition for their efforts, the students, staff, faculty and alumni recently were honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award at a reception hosted by the Office of Diversity and Community Engagement.

Created in 2003 by the Council on Service and Civic Participation, the President’s Volunteer Service Award promotes a service ethic and recognizes Americans who give back to their communities. The award includes a certificate of achievement, a President’s Volunteer Service Award lapel pin, a note of congratulations from the President of the United States and a letter from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.

“People notice and they are really thankful for volunteers,” said School of Management graduate student Dypti Lulla, graduate chair of Golden Key Honour Society who worked in several different volunteer programs in 2010. “The appreciation encourages me to continue in my volunteer service.”

Any individual, family or group can receive presidential recognition for annual commitments to volunteer service.  Individuals who serve a minimum of 100 hours during a one-year period are eligible. Since UT Dallas began coordinating with the program in 2006, 431 University volunteers have logged more than 75,000 hours of service.

“The President’s Volunteer Service Awards recognize the significant contribution of time and talent that UT Dallas faculty, staff and students provide to our region to make a difference in the lives of others. This is an important way that our University affirms its commitment to public service and connects us to the community,” said Raul Hinojosa, director of community engagement.

Volunteers gave their time to causes ranging from teaching chess in after-school clubs to granting wishes through the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The University’s Living Learning Communities also contributed 2,994 hours of service, raising UT Dallas’ service to 14,105 hours.

Rick Milteer, a staffer in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, mentors young, at-risk males growing  up without one or both parents. The former Olympic runner uses both educational and athletic settings to reach out.

“I help them bridge the gap between them wanting to go to college and understanding what it takes to get there,” he said. “I help these kids get their lives in order so they can be college-ready.”

As assistant director of the UT Dallas Office of Student Volunteerism, Monalisa Amidar sees the benefits of volunteering from both perspectives – the benefit to the community and to students.

“By engaging in community service and volunteer events, college students gain the opportunity to learn more about their campus and local community, make new friends, explore career and personal interests, develop new skills, and become more marketable to graduate schools and employers,” she said.