CLS Reach | Spring 2010

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Center for Leadership and Service

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Note

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CLS Hello Gators, Welcome to our end of the semester issue of the Center for Leadership and Service (CLS) Newsletter! We are very excited to be delivering updates on the great things going on around the Center for Leadership and Service.

To start off, let us tell give you a little history on the CLS. Community service at the University of Florida has evolved dramatically since the creation of the volunteer student organization, Gators Involved in Volunteer Endeavors (GIVE), in 1992. An analysis of GIVE's activities in 1997-1998 revealed the program's effectiveness in stimulating group service projects. It was determined that GIVE had been less effective at providing a volunteer clearinghouse for UF, and that this service was sorely needed.

Accordingly, the Office of Student Activities established the TreeHouse in 1998 to serve as the campus clearinghouse for volunteerism with the mission to foster an atmosphere of giving and community on the UF campus through involving volunteers in civic leadership. In 2000, TreeHouse was renamed the Office of Community Service, to reflect more accurately its function as the volunteer service center on campus.

Sincerely Yours, The Administrative Student Team

UF student, Linsey Webber lays down mulch at Reichert House boys school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

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SPRING 10

Feature 02 MLK Day of Service Florida Alternative Breaks was named 2009 National Alternative Breaks Program of the Year by Break Away, a national organization that works with alternative break programs across the nation.

In Every Issue

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04 Alumni Stories 06 CLS Spotlight

CLS News 08 Event Update 11 CLS Snapshots CLS QUICK PICS

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A. Students participate in the “Leave Your Mark: Literally� MLK 2010 Promotion Event.

B. CLS Organizations meets with its new administrative team while bowling.

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by Kristen Denson

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Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve.

You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

-Martin Luther King, Jr. ome people believe that Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just a day of no school and for most adults a day off from work. But this year our organization decided to change this manner of thinking and try and make a difference in the community. This year ACTIONS! sat on the MLK 2010 committee and took on the MLK Day of Service along with the Center of Leadership and Service and Club Creole.

The Day of Service this year actually fell on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the committee thought we should take full advantage of the day. So the three co-sponsors including ACTIONS! thought we should go into the community and make a difference somewhere that affects children.

Because part of Dr. King’s dream was to help make the future a better place for everyone to not just exist in but to live. So we chose to volunteer at the Riehert House for Boys, doing some well deserved renovations.

The registration for the event was open school wide, to groups and individuals. After about four days of registration being open we had to close it because the event had met its capacity. The event was for about 150 volunteers and after four days we had 140 volunteers signed up and this was not including the committee and the members of ACTIONS! and Club Creole.

The event started at 8am on January 18, 2010 and ended at 12:30pm so that volunteers could attend the parade. The volunteers met at the plaza of the Americas and then traveled to the volunteer site. When they arrived at the site the volunteers were put into groups and given jobs to do around the facility. From cleaning bathrooms, and the grounds, to reorganizing closets and a kitchen, and painting and laying mulch around this huge facility, they also washed about ten vehicles as well.

The volunteers all worked together and made the time pass by very quickly and also made time to have fun. The work that was done made a huge difference not only to the physical eye but to the hearts of the staff of Riehert House. The staff all participated in the day and made a huge point to tell everyone how thankful they were for all of our help.

This was the kickoff for the MLK 2010 celebration week and I believe that there could not have been a better kickoff to the week.

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alumnistories

Do what you

what you do.

by Amber Valentin Well it’s safe to say that all those late nights planning events, meetings, and newsletters actually paid off.

When you’re knee deep in midterms, have to work over-time for your side job to make rent and somehow have to plan a service event in between all of that, the last, or possibly first, thing you determine is, “Good grief, this better be useful after college.”

Well I’m here to tell you to take a deep sigh of relief; all of it is in fact useful. Hard to believe I know, but somehow those skills you gained while helping to plan a protest against your own school to stop them from cutting funding to the CLS is in reality a good thing to know how to do.

The point of this article is to explain why my experience at the Center for Leadership and Service has translated into tangible, real-life skills and benefits.

My various volunteer and leadership roles within the CLS culminated with my position senior year as the Communications Chair. Direct quote from my postiton description: “This person oversees a committee of members who direct all office internal communications, includ-

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of ing the CLS Challenge, photography, minutes, and weekly update emails. This person also works with the CLS Newsletter, campus and community partners, conducts agency, community and university needs assessments, and helps plan the Volunteer Organization Fairs, Celebration of Service, and CLS Olympic Bonanza.”

So that’s what I did then, and here’s what I do now: “This person will execute administrative and grants management responsibilities, and assist with project coordination and program activities as needed.

Assist in communications with Advisors, donors, other related partner institutions, and grantee organizations.”

Hmm… seems oddly familiar.

That’s because they are! I loved my time spent working at the CLS, so I decided why not look for a career that already matched my passion, skills and experience. And that’s just what I did. Granted, the CLS doesn’t pay well (or at all for that matter), but that doesn’t mean your future job won’t either.

Today, as the Project Coordinator (and only full-time staff ) of the Gulf Coast Fund (www.gulfcoastfund.org), I am doing a job that I enjoy and I am producing work that I can be proud of. At the Fund’s core is an Advisory Group of 23 leading policy advocates, community activists and grassroots organizers from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas representing a broad swath of constituencies, geographies and issues. These people are like the modern day Civil Rights leaders, fighting for social, environmental and economic justice for all us. And the coolest part of it all… they’re my bosses. For instance, do you know the who the 18th Surgeon General for the United States is? Her name is Dr. Regina Benjamin and she was just appointed by President Obama. Oh yeah, and she is a founding board member of the Gulf Coast Fund... sweet.

So when you’re trying to convince your roommate to join you for a service trip or spend a few hours volunteering on your clean up crew, remember that you play a small part in a larger story that is always being written. You’re a big part of the

Amber Valentin CLS Alumni

“ Remember that you play a

small part in a larger story that is always being written.

”

- Amber Valentin

reason why the world wakes up and gives a damn.

So the moral of this story, (if you can really call it a moral or a story), is that by committing just a little bit of your time to volunteerism and leadership roles, you will open up a world of possibilities for your future career. Leadership is a skill that never goes out of style or demand and altruism will help distinguish you from the millions of other people who just want to make that money honey. So don’t be afraid to stick to what you enjoy, life’s to short to get trapped in a career you don’t wake up every day excited to be involved with.

Do what you love, and love what you do. 

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cls spotlight

CLS spotlight Interview with

Stephanie Davlantes

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What is it that you do in the CLS? I am a member and Historian for Lead101 and I'm also involved with Florida Alternative Breaks as a participant on their community service trips.

What motivates you to go above and beyond?

The main thing that motivates me to go above and beyond is my commitment and dedication. As a member, I really want to do my part to help my organization flourish and impact other students. As a result if I see an opportunity where I am able to contribute more, I try to grasp on to that opportunity and run with it. If given a task, I want to give my best to it and use all my effort to make sure that is done in the best possible way. My dad always tell me "Give your best

and do your best and God will take care of the rest" and that is something that I always try to live by.

How has the CLS affected you on campus and in the community?

Being involved in the CLS has definitely had a positive influence on me. On campus, I see myself shaping and growing into a better leader.

I have learned what it means to be a servant-leader and with the help of the CLS, I try to put that into action. In the community, the CLS has

really allowed me to pursue my passion of helping others.

I really love helping others and through FAB I have been able to do that. With the CLS's help, I have even found other opportunities through which I am able to serve my community. Overall, the CLS has completely had a positive impact on me, and I am continually inspired and encourage to be a better leader on campus and in my community.

What is your definition of a student leader?

My definition of a student leader is one who makes a difference. Someone who is involved, committed to their organizations, helpful, and willing to lead others . For me, a student leader doesn't necessarily have to hold a high position of authority

to be called a leader, but a student leader is someone who believes that they can be a positive change and is willing to accomplish great things.

Overall, a student leader is someone who gives their best to their involvement positions, willing to make a change, and willing to lead and help others to make a change.

How did you make your first steps to get involved on campus?

One of the first steps of involvement that I made on campus was through the Black

Student Union's Leadership Development Institute (LDI).

Through this organization, I was able to enhance my leadership skills and learn what it meant to be a servant-leader.

LDI allowed me to make great friends and meet awesome people who wanted to see me succeed and do great things.

Because of my involvement in this organization, I was inspired to get involved in other things on campus and that is what led me to an awesome center such as the Center for Leadership and Service.

Advice you would give to someone looking to get more involved?

For someone who is looking to get more involved, find something that you really enjoy doing or that you are interested in doing. When you find something that you enjoy doing or being apart of, you automatically want to give your best to that organization and want to see it grow. Whether its an activity or an issue in the community, involvement is a great way to meet new people and make an impact on the lives of others. Not only do you receive the chance to impact others, but you receive the opportunity to enhance yourself as a person. And if you are unsure of exactly what you want to get involved in, try something new or something you've never done before. You never know, you might find one of your true passions. ď §

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eventupdates

FEB

FAB Silent Auction 11

Having trouble finding a Valentine's Day gift for that special someone? Florida Alternative Breaks (FAB) will be having a Silent Auction that can help you out! Starting Monday, February 1st at 12am until Thursday, February 11 at 7pm you can access the auction online at www. fabauction.org .Take the opportunity to buy jewelry, gym memberships, restaurant gift certificates, and much more!

FEB

Project Makeover 28

FAB has found a new opportunity to help our local Gainesville Community. We will be helping renovate Lake Forest Elementary School through Project Makeover. FAB is organizing a team to help on Sunday, February 28th. If you would like to be a part of the team, contact Gabi Cervoni at gcervoni@ufl.edu.

Trip Opportunities FAB is still accepting applications on a rolling basis. If all spots for spring break trips are full, your application will be placed on a waiting list until a spot opens up!

Do Something!

Coming up on February 6th, select Gator Non-Profit Professionals members will be attending a conference held by DoSomething.org in Miami, Florida. Do Something is a non-profit organization that believes young people have the power to make a difference in the world, and the organization strives to provide the tools and resources to turn ideas of social change into action.

The Social Action Bootcamp Training is bringing together a group of younger leaders, activists, and social entrepreneurs to network and make the project they have submitted a sustainable reality.

While at the conference, students can choose from a variety of workshops offered for further development, such as "Foundations and Grant Writing", "Starting your own not-for-profit", "Political Activism: How to get your local officials to listen", and many others.

This is a great opportunity for students and we are glad GNP members are taking advantage of it.

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FEB

Women’s Leadership Conference 21 The Women’s Leadership Council will be hosting its 23rd Annual Women’s Leadership Conference- “Seek, Empower, Engage: How do you SEE yourself?”- on Sunday February 21st, 2010. The Women’s Leadership Conference, open to both male and female UF students as well as community members, offers participants a unique opportunity to improve their leadership skills and explore 21st century women’s issues. Keynote speaker Wendy Abberger of Leadership Florida, together with a diverse career panel will be answering the questions you want to know! With an array of innovative workshops focused on leadership, career, and awareness issues, participants will discover what they need to know to become successful leaders in today’s society.

For more information, and to register, please viit our webpage: www.leadershipandservice.ufl.edu/studentorgs/wlc/conference.php.

The registration deadline is Monday, February 15th. The registration fee is $25 and includes breakfast, lunch, entertainment, and giveaways.

Reduced group rates are available. Make your VISION a REALITY on February 21st in the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom.

The conference will also serve as our kickoff event for Women's History Month this year. We have worked hard to bring a diverse group of events and opportunities for the UF and Gainesville community to celebrate and promote leadership and pride among the women on the University of Florida campus. Women's History Month is a vehicle for acknowledging, celebrating, and focusing on the accomplishments and contributions of women in society. The month also is an opportunity for the university community to become more aware of and receptive to the various voices and concerns of women.

For more information on the month and the events, please visit http://www.leadershipandservice.ufl.edu/studentorgs/wlc/whm/.

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eventupdates

Project Mascot A mentoring program for at risk Elementary school students. Mentors are expected to meet with their mentees once a week during their lunch hour. Mentors help engage students and motivate them to better their progress and do better on the FCAT. In the spring mentors and their students attend a trip to Sea World. All members perform fundraisers and pay dues in order to help fund the trip to Sea World.

FEB

GILD Conference 7 Lead101 is proud to present its 7th Annual G.I.L.D. Conference (Gator Institute for Leadership Development). On February 7, thirty select students from the University of Florida campus will embark on this one day retreat skillfully designed to offer new and refreshing perspectives on leadership. G.I.L.D. will challenge each participant to step away from conventional views of leadership and enhance their definition of personal leadership. Participants will gain the opportunity to understand how they can implement their roles as leaders beyond the university.

This year, our conference focuses on the book, "It's Not About the Coffee" by Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks International. The coffee may get cold, but the leadership always stays hot in this conference! The recipe for a leader: a double shot of leadership, two teaspoons of self-awarness, stir in some values and sprinkle with vision to taste.

This mixture will leave you awake, alert and ready to lead. Find out more about GILD and our other annual conference, the Art of Leadership, along with how to become an outstanding leader and member of Lead101. Recruitment is underway! Don't forget, workshop requests are always welcome, so reserve a spot for your organization today!

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CLS

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A A. FAB Executive members showing off their environmentally friendly, screen-printed shirts B. Face painting for Actions's Hunger and Homelessness Week C. Outside the doors of a Lead101 break out workshop

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Center for Leadership and Service

n e w s l e t t e r

Cent er f

ce rv i Se

adership an Le d or

For more information contact us at: leadershipandservice@ufl.edu or visit: www.leadershipandservice.ufl.edu University of Florida 202 Peabody Hall, PO Box 114075, Gainesville, FL 32611 Phone:(352) 392-1261; Fax: (352) 392-5566