When Sara Gibbs was deciding which university to attend for her undergraduate degree, she compared community service opportunities at the University of Illinois against those offered by another leading candidate, Washington University. The winner? Illinois, by far.
Now that she's graduating from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Gibbs can say she's made the most of the myriad volunteer opportunities here, whether by tutoring Spanish-speaking children at local schools, or building homes for low-income families.
The international studies major sees no reason to stop just because of commencement. Gibbs will pursue a master's degree in higher education this fall with an internship at the University of Michigan's Ginsburg Center for Community Service and Learning, with hopes of someday running student volunteer programs out of a university.
"I really care about issues of access, and how some people have access to all these resources and some people don't," Gibbs says. "That's just not really fair, or just."
One of her earlier influences came from LAS, where courses in the Spanish & Illinois program directed by professor Ann Abbott included volunteering. The experience led Gibbs to tutor bilingual children at a local elementary school, and translate English for people at East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center. She also spent a semester studying in Ecuador, where she volunteered in a day care and assisted with English classes.
On campus, Gibbs helped as the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity built two houses. Her talents shined during her senior year, when, as chapter president, she initiated a new effort to reach out to past members. The alumni response was overwhelming, and they eclipsed their fundraising goal by almost $30,000, ensuring that the chapter will build another home next year.
Gibbs says the efforts were about opening doors for people. She opened a door for herself, too.
"I've never regretted coming to Illinois at all," she says.
