2021 Engage NJ Conference: Keeping Volunteers Connected - COVID-19 edition CCRE Panelist

On February 27, the Center for Community Research & Engagement participated in the 2021 Engage NJ Conference: Keeping Volunteers Connected - COVID-19 edition. The objective of this conference was to inform and inspire the audience by having different universities, college students, and philanthropic organizations from across the state present on their work to keep volunteers and students engaged through service amidst COVID-19. The pandemic has affected the world in many ways, but this conference proved that it did not stop service.

At the conference, CCRE hosted a panel where student leaders Gisellyn Miranda, Claudia Romani, Ivana Betances-Juarez, and Raheel Abdul-Jalil participated as panelists and CCRE's Director, Timothy Hoffman was the discussion's moderator. The student leaders highlighted their work before and during the pandemic and provided an opportunity to assess virtual community engagement. The panel also discussed how service-learning is infused into classes in Seton Hall University's CORE curriculum and described what they learned from 350 students completing virtual service in the fall 2020 semester.

When asked what it was like for students to adapt and transition to virtual service, student leader, Gisellyn Miranda said, "CCRE did a great job at holding workshops for the students in aspects of leadership and community/social activism to ensure students not only were reiterated the importance of service, but that they can also see themselves again as a change agent in these most challenging of times." It was CCRE's priority to prepare students in the most efficient way as they entered into a new environment of service.

You cannot always prepare for everything and challenges to virtual service did not fail to make an appearance. However, the positive impact service has had on students and communities could not be overshadowed by the challenges. Student leader, Claudia Romani, has witnessed this impact on students and said, "Students that have completed virtual service have shared that they experienced a sense of purpose as they helped our communities. Many of them told us that their days were always the same, but service was different. There was always something new and that was what they enjoyed."

The last of the student leader panelists, Ivana Betances-Juarez and Raheel Abdul-Jalil, shared that virtual service learning has helped them to grow as leaders, adapt to changes, and find new ways to encourage their students to help communities in need.

CCRE has continued its work to serve others and achieved new accomplishments despite the pandemic. The center has expanded their outreach like never before, working with nonprofit organizations from all over the state, to students even participating in individual service outside of the country. COVID-19 presented barriers to service, but it also opened up new opportunities. Being able to continue service during these difficult times has brought CCRE back to their mission of promoting servant leadership in any facet possible. 

Categories: Education, Faith and Service, Research