As graduation inches closer, most seniors are starting to figure out what they’re going to do after college. Many will be headed to further their education, several will be getting jobs and some will be spending their post-grad years helping others

through volunteering.

Creighton’s Center for Service and Justice hosted an event Feb. 8, to assist

the latter.

The event was made up of informal discussions, guest speakers who have gone through the various volunteer programs, a question and answer session and, last but not least, a tostada dinner.

“This is designed to help [students] decide on what kind of volunteering to do after graduation,” Arts & Sciences senior and the event’s coordinator Sydney Stulock said. “Talking to past volunteers will hopefully help them figure out what they’re looking for in

a program.”

The guest speakers were mainly Creighton alumni. They spoke about their discernment process, what enticed them about post-grad volunteering and how their experiences were for them.

“I was really taken by the idea of just living in another country and taking in another culture, learning another language,” Creighton alumna Jen McEvoy said.

McEvoy spent two years after graduation volunteering on the eastern side of Africa.

“I brought home an appreciation for people and the opportunities we have here,” McEvoy said.

The guest speakers also explained why they decided to volunteer.

“I really felt called to an adventure, to push my comfort zone a bit,” Creighton alumna Becky Davies explained.

With so many different volunteer opportunities, students can really choose a program that is a good fit for them. They can pick where they want to volunteer, whether it be close to home or in a different country.

Also, some programs allow the volunteers to live in a community together, while in others they live on their own. It is even possible to get a Masters degree in conjunction with service through some of the opportunities offered.

“My favorite part about service is watching people come to a greater sense of themselves and the world around them,” Arts & Sciences senior Chris Boitano said.

“People become frustrated seeing all of the problems in the world and not being able to solve them,” Boitano said. “But doing service work is a way to at least help a little bit in a little area towards the solution.”

Boitano is currently a service and justice associate in the CCSJ office. Throughout college he has led both fall and spring service trips and he would like to continue his volunteering after graduation.

“I definitely want to do some sort of service, ministry or immersion trip,”

Boitano said.

With well over 150 volunteer programs offered, it can be difficult for students to narrow down their options.

“There are so many opportunities and it can be kind of overwhelming. Call the staff of the different programs, they love answering your questions,” Creighton alumna Shelly Roder said.