A record number of Boston University freshmen cut their summers short this year, hitting the streets of Boston to volunteer in projects ranging from AIDS awareness to child mentoring.
More than 500 incoming freshmen applied to the First-Year Student Outreach Project. The program, which placed more than 60 applicants on the waitlist, has grown from 420 participants last year.
“We had a lot of applicants this year,” FYSOP Program Manager and College of Communication junior Maddy Weber said. “We registered 500 volunteers – the maximum number – and 499 actually showed up to participate.”
This year, the freshmen spent three days – and a total of over 15,000 hours – out in the city working in eight issue areas: children, disabilities, elders, environment, gender focus, HIV/AIDS awareness, homelessness ‘ housing and hunger.
Students spent time with Alzheimer’s patients, mentored and tutored children, worked at soup kitchens, helped to preserve the environment, combated discrimination and repaired homes.
At the closing ceremonies for the project, Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore and President Robert Brown addressed the students. Both spoke of how important community service is in the Boston area.
The FYSOP program is staffed by about 130 sophomores, juniors and seniors.
Hunger coordinator Zack Poitras said FYSOP is a great opportunity to get involved with community service and see the difference it makes.
“I wanted to be a part of creating something new and seeing what we could do with FYSOP this year,” the College of Arts and Sciences junior said. “The service you do is so great and so personally rewarding.”
Disabilities FYSOP freshman Ashley Brown said while it is great to participate in something so worthwhile, it also helped her transition from high school to college.
“It’s a good way to move into the Boston environment and meet people and help people,” the CAS freshman said. “It really eased the process of feeling comfortable and making friends in a whole new situation.”
CAS freshman Mike Gomez said he participated for similar reasons.
“It seemed like a great program to work in and to get accustomed to college,” the environment volunteer said. “It really helps to adjust to campus a week before everyone else comes.”
CAS freshman Katie Hortenstine said it was great working with people who shared similar interests in community service.
“The people in FYSOP,” she said, “they’re just totally different people and it was really great getting to know everyone.”
She said her FYSOP experience fueled an interest in working with the Community Service Center during the school year.
“There’s a lot of great things about FYSOP,” Weber said. “Short term – it gets you moved in early, you get to go out in Boston and see a lot of places you wouldn’t probably see your first year in college, you get to meet a lot of people with a common interest.”
Weber added that FYSOP also has many long-term benefits.
“A lot of people say it’s the determining factor in making them want to work for a nonprofit or inspire change in the world,” she said.
Editor’s note: Several Daily Free Press editors participated in the FYSOP program, but they did not contribute to this article.