The second annual Community Partner Breakfast was held Tuesday morning to help connect community service organizations with students and other university resources.
Among the spread of pancakes, fresh fruit and other breakfast treats, were packets with lists of all of the community organizations in attendance, as well as their greatest needs. The purpose of the event was to connect various individuals in hopes of forming partnerships to engage students and assist the community.
Each table had a mix of community partners, faculty or staff and students. Before the breakfast began, people eagerly discussed what has already been done with their projects and how they hoped to continue expanding upon them.
Shauna Robertson, a representative of Eau Claire Cooperative Centers, a group of non-profit community health centers, said her organization is interested in developing partnerships with different university departments.
Robertson is specifically hoping to work with the Department of Social Work to help patients with case management issues that Eau Claire cannot currently afford to support.
Jimmie Gahagan, assistant vice provost for student engagement, said through curriculum, research and simple volunteerism, everyone could benefit from partnerships formed.
“Service is woven into the fabric of the University of South Carolina,” Gahagan said. “We hope that everyone leaves with a better understanding of service learning and its many benefits.”
During last school year, over 18,500 students contributed 302,921 service hours to the university. The Community Service Programs office hopes to see that number continue to increase.
Networking was also an important part of the breakfast. Everyone was encouraged to mingle, discuss who he or she represented and see how to get involved with student organizations on campus, University 101 classes or departments at the university that could help bridge the gap between students and existing community organizations.
Jessica Steele, a fourth-year English and public health major, was there both as a student and as a representative of the Waverly After School Center. The center is a student-run nonprofit organization that has a tutoring and mentoring program five days a week.
“There are many elements of out program that we’d like to expand upon,” Steele said. “This is a fantastic way to meet other members of the community with expertise in those areas.”
Steele said being involved in the community through the University has been an invaluable experience and expanded upon what she was getting in the classroom.
Students came hoping to learn more about how to serve the Columbia community while at the university.
“I wanted to see what community programs were represented and what they did,” said Ryan Teel, a second-year chemical engineering student. “I heard about a few organizations I didn’t know about before and learned about possible opportunities for future service.”
For more information about service opportunities at USC, visit http://www.sa.sc.edu/communityservice/.
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