SEMO learning by volunteering expands views

By helping others, a group of honors students at Southeast Missouri State University is helping themselves.

These students toiled together Saturday -- digging water and electrical trenches, installing insulation and hooking up electrical wiring in a Habitat for Humanity house on College Street in Cape Girardeau.

"It teaches you so much, teaches you responsibilty, teaches you that this is a great big world, and we're here to help," said Erin Hartmann of Jackson, a freshman at Southeast participating in the Learning in Volunteerism program. "It's great. I feel like I'm helping someone out. It is great that I can be a part of this."

Hartmann was one of 11 students working Saturday through the LIV program, a student-run component of the Honors Program at Southeast. The volunteerism program was developed about eight years ago by members of the Student Honors Council, particularly Brian Williams, an interdisciplinary studies major from the St. Louis area and Tracy Schafer, a biology-wildlife major from Puxico, Mo.

In accordance with objectives of the School of University Studies, the department that Southeast's honors program falls under, the LIV program promotes community service work. Senior Barb Seckel, a historic preservation major from Columbia, Ill., is the current student coordinator of the program.

Many of Southeast's honors students grew up in a supportive family and are attending the university on scholarship funds, said Dr. Larry Clark, director of the Honors Program at Southeast.

"One, this gives them an opportunity to give back to society. Two, they come in contact with people who have not been so fortunate, and it humbles them in a sense," Clark said. "The best part is there are students who might get turned on to community service through this program, and it will continue through the rest of their life."

One facet of the LIV program is a five-hour community service requirement in the honors section of the first-year seminar, a mandatory university introduction class for all freshman. This alone generates more than 600 hours of community service each year, but some freshman end up performing much more than these five hours of service during that semester and beyond.

LIV students are given a wide range of service activities to choose from, which includes helping out at the Salvation Army, March of Dimes, United Way, Humane Society and American Cancer Society. Community service workday projects have included clearing trails at Trail of Tears State Park, refurbishing the Safe House for Women and providing at-home assistance to the elderly.

Another aspect of the LIV program consists of Southeast honors students serving as English tutors to visiting Japanese students, during which a general exchange of information about these two cultures takes place.

LIV students who participated in Saturday's workday included: Hartmann; CariAnn Bergner of Belleview, Mo.; Matt Boyack of Clermont, Fla.; Meggan Cooper of Caladonia, Mo.; Crystal Gilliam of Fulton, Mo.; Laura Heldermon of Puxico, Mo.; Krista Jennewein of Imperial, Mo.; Becky Komorech of Cape Girardeau; Stephanie Meyer of Joliet, Ill.; Beth Schoen of Belleville, Ill.; and Jason Stoff of Highland, Ill.

Others on hand to help were Clark, members of the Gamma Sigma Sigma service sorority of Southeast, and Randy and Lisa Green of Cape Girardeau who were putting in "sweat equity" toward their own Habitat for Humanity house to be built down the street. Dr. Dale Haskell with Southeast's Department of English coordinated as well as participated in the workday.

jgosche@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133