Student Voices – Page 17 – University Honors Program Blog

Leadership, Friendship, Service [Student Org Profile]

November 11, 2013Student Voices

This post is written by UHP Student Peer Advisor Brian Dab, a psychology major currently abroad in France. He’s writing to describe a student org at he’s involved in here at GW. Want to encourage others to get involved in your org? Email uhpspa@gwu.edu about writing a post!

Hellooooo UHPers! I want to tell you about Alpha Phi Omega (APO), a coed community service fraternity and the impact it has on me and other members personally, academically, and professionally. Each semester, active brothers participate in community service throughout the semester. Serving with friends makes the time fly because we’re always making memories, inside jokes, and strengthening friendships. My favorite event was volunteering at a pet adoption, because I love puppies! In addition to community service and our weekly chapter meeting, we engage in fellowship, or social activities. These range from dinner hours to laser tag, and of course our semi-formal and formal events at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters. My favorite parts of the week are often the time I get to spend with my brothers who are some of my best friends.
You’ll be surprised by the amazing group of people who are devoted to community service while pursuing a wide variety of majors and also extend to every inch of the GW community. We have brothers who also participate in GW Alt Breaks, are members of the SA and House Staff, and several who are in the UHP. So it is easy to get connected to a brother in APO at GW and I strongly encourage everyone to ask more about what it’s like to be a brother. Many brothers started doing community service in college through DCReads or JumpStart, and brought that experience to the chapter while expanding their experiences in service projects as a brother. Or if community service is something you’ve always wanted to do but never had an organized way of participating, then look into rushing. I challenge all of you to attend ONE rush event this Spring or another semester during your college career. It’s never too late!
Through APO I have been connected to new job and internship opportunities and to other organizations around campus, such as Relay for Life for which I Co-Captained the UHP team last year. My best friends and support group lay heavily with my brothers. My career goals and plans have been influenced by my experience in APO. Most importantly, I realized that community service isn’t something we all need to MAKE time for it’s something we HAVE time for. If you’re looking for a place at GW, if you have plenty of commitments already, or if you feel content I still encourage think you have something to gain from Alpha Phi Omega and the fraternity has even more to gain from you.

Camp Kesem: CK ALL DAY [Student Org Profile]

October 22, 2013Extracurricular Opportunity, Student Voices

Welcome to a new column where UHPers can shine the spotlight on orgs they’re involved in at GW right here on the UHP blog! Want to get the word out about your org and tell the rest of the UHP why it’s awesome? Want to encourage others to get involved in your org? Email uhpspa@gwu.edu about writing a post!
Hello UHPers! My name is Shailly and I am one of Camp Kesem GW’s Volunteer Coordinators for the 2013-2014 year. For those of you who are unfamiliar with our organization, we hold a free one-week summer camp for the children of past and present cancer patients in the DC area. We began in 2007 with 10 campers and 12 counselors and have now grown to a goal of 100 campers and 50 counselors for the summer of 2014. Throughout the year, we hold fundraisers of varying sizes and types to help us raise enough funds for camp – this year our goal is to raise $75,000!

996593_643944208958472_1131453828_n — Your very own SPA Co-Chairs getting messy at camp!

So why should you love camp? Check out this video to get a better idea of what an amazing week camp is! Our kids range from 6-18 years old, but all of them have grown up too fast dealing with the very serious topic of cancer. We provide a space for them to just act like kids and do crazy fun activities, like arts & crafts and messy games!
Camp is really like a big family (and I know how cliché that sounds, BUT IT’S SO TRUE). I joined my sophomore year and knew instantly that this group of absolutely eccentric and passionate people was going to be so fun to work with. Two years later, I’m close friends with just about everyone in camp, I’ve served as a camp counselor for two years, I’ve held two different E-board positions, and I’ve been a unit leader for the cutest of the cute (the 6-7 year olds, ahhhh BABIES).
This year, I’m reaching out to student organizations (maybe you’ve seen me at yours…) to find the best of the best to be counselors for the next year and to encourage everyone I know (and even random strangers) to apply! This organization has changed my life in so many ways and I know it is something that will stick with me forever. I just want to share the joy of camp with as many people as possible! We’ll also be holding some fun camp-y activities throughout the year for anyone to come hang out with us.

1234769_643872745632285_2111216505_n — LOOK AT THOSE KIDS. THEY’RE SO CUTE.

Counselor applications are available on our website as of SUNDAY, October 20th! All of our upcoming events are posted there as well. Come visit us at any of our counselor info sessions next week, OR at our reunion next Saturday, October 26th (yeah, we’re everywhere)!
Also, like us on Facebook to look at camp photos from the past year and to stay updated on all camp events! We’re also on Twitter, Instagram, and Shutterfly, sooo you really can’t escape us. :]
Any of you who know me, know camp is my life. I have enough CK clothing to wear only that everyday, and I regularly do. If you see me around, ASK ME ABOUT CAMP! I loveeeeeeeeee talking about it and I promise you won’t regret learning more.

Reflecting on Four Years in the UHP

April 23, 2013Alum Update, General News, Student Voices

Was it Carly in the Club Room with the bust of Sophocles?

This post was written by Carly Nuttall, graduating UHP/ESIA student.
When I was first applying to colleges, I knew exactly the type of school I wanted to attend. I had gone to a small high school in a sleepy New England town, and I was looking for more of the same in college. At the time, GW represented everything I didn’t want—it was big, it was in a city, and it appeared to be filled with students who took themselves a little too seriously. But as an aspiring International Affairs major, GW was a requisite school to look at, though it was admittedly far down on my list. However, as my high school graduation drew closer, heading up to Maine to study International Affairs as opposed to D.C. seemed like a less and less practical idea. Accordingly, I matriculated at GW, but going into my freshman year, I still had the same concerns. Continue reading

An Evening of Glitz and Glamor [Profs on the Town]

October 17, 2012Student Voices

This month, UHPers travelled out to see an event in DC that related to their class. This post is written by UHPer Roxanne Goldberg.

An evening of glitz and glamor, students from Professor Cheryl Vann’s Arts and Humanities course, Medieval Women and the Men who Loved and Loathed Them, visited the Kennedy Center Saturday evening for a performance of Don Giovanni. Continue reading “An Evening of Glitz and Glamor [Profs on the Town]”