WORLD'S LEADING INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Tis the Season to be Giving

While our holiday season will likely be filled with the hustle and bustle of colliding shopping carts, crowded Subway cars, and deciding between the iPhone or the Blackberry Pearl, others will be facing the bitter cold, praying for a miracle, and deciding between chicken noodle or tomato basil at the local soup kitchen.

We’d like to encourage you to remember the spirit of giving during the holidays this year. As you prepare for your holiday celebrations, keep in mind those who aren’t living their dreams and reach out to others. It might even offer a temporary respite from the hustle and bustle.

For some inspiration and ideas for how you can help your community, check out what our UofDreams offices and alumni are doing to spread the cheer during this holiday season:

Our New York office attended orientation for a nonprofit called New York Cares, through which the officemates will volunteer in many projects, including providing interview coaching and résumé tips to the homeless and others in need.

Members of our Chicago office sent a box of clothing and donations to be delivered during the UofD volunteer trip to Guatemala.

Our Los Gatos, California, office compiled goods that they donated to the Overseas Goods Drive for Blue Star Moms.

We’d also like to recognize the following alumni for their contributions in the spirit of giving:

Janie Cobb (Chicago ’06): I'm in Moldova (a little country in Eastern Europe) serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I currently work at a mayor's office working to assist the community where they want and need assistance.

Chris Keeney (SF ’02): I gave two years after college to serve in a developing country in Micronesia.  I was a Jesuit Volunteer in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, where I taught in a high school.  It was, by far, one of the most amazing experiences that I've ever had...and I actually see it as I received much more than I gave, but I guess that's kind of the nature of service work. 

Aaron Friedman (NYC ’06): I donate a portion of every paycheck to a couple charities of my choice, including the Tiger Woods Foundation and the Chrons and Colitis Foundation of America. My company, Ameriprise Financial, matches 100% of my donation.

Wilson Chew (SF ’06): I read a story about a poor guy's life savings taken away by U.S government and I started a campaign to raise money for him. Story here. Website I created here.

Lauren Gyllenborg (NYC ’06): This November I participated in the Breast Cancer 3-Day benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure in San Diego, California, with nine of my sorority sisters. In order to walk in the 3-Day, each participant had to raise a minimum of $2,200. After months of training (it's very challenging to walk over 60 miles!) and fundraising, the amazing journey in the fight against breast cancer finally came! The first day was very exciting. Everyone has a story to share about breast cancer and the ways it has changed their life. There were people dressed up and cheering all along the path and it kept all of the walkers incredibly motivated. By the second day, after a night of camping out in tents and taking care of those sore muscles, another twenty miles seems an impossible task! But again the volunteers keep spirits high! All of the aches, pains, and blisters in the world couldn't stop us from walking when we knew we were helping to fund important breast cancer research, education, screening, and treatment. The final day, it was hard not to break into a full on sprint to the end, because our bodies were walking on pure emotion, excited to almost be finished as we looked back at the long forty miles already accomplished and so proud of the amazing contribution made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The theme of this year's 3 Day was "Because Everyone Deserves a Lifetime." I can think of no greater act of giving than taking the steps (literally!) toward a future without breast cancer!

Lysandra Gibbs (SF ’01): I'm a member of the New York Cares Junior Committee (NYCares is a volunteer organization with over 20,000 volunteers) and have been helping plan our annual Soiree for the past three years to help raise money to fund the amazing work that New York Cares does.

Also as a part of New York Cares, I am participating in the Winter Wishes program where underprivileged kids write letters for holiday gifts. This year my team is working with an American Sign Language School and we are getting gifts for first and second graders who may not otherwise receive holiday gifts.

All of this work is, of course, really rewarding and it makes me feel good. But even more importantly it opens doors for kids and adults who may not have certain opportunities, and that's what it's really about: helping others!

Emily DeMarco (Chicago ’07): On March 15-16, I will participating in an event called Dance Marathon. We raise money for pediatric rehabilitation. Dance Marathon is a 30-hour event, where all the dancers stand the entire time. Basically, we stand for those who cannot. The money raised goes to Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. Every dancer is required to raise $300, and the organization raises over $150,000 every year. This will be my second year dancing.

Brock Williamson (NY ’05): Last weekend was the Third Annual David Reutimann Charity Golf Tournament and Auction benefiting the All Children's Hospital of Florida. Besides participating in the tournament, I played an instrumental part in helping NASCAR Driver David Reutimann gather signed memorabilia from athletes in professional sports, including baseball, football, hockey, tennis and motorsports.
 I also worked with others at SportsONE (the agency I work for) to create flyers and banners, plus distribute releases to the media promoting fans to come out and enjoy the festivities. In total the Tournament and Auction raised around $72,000 for All Children's Hospital.

Lauren Spenceley (Chicago ’06): I'm working for a non-profit non-partisan political research organization called Project Vote Smart (http://www.votesmart.org) that provides unbiased, accurate information about candidates and representatives that voters can use to make informed voting decisions.

Sarah Strom (LA ’05): Me and 2 of my friends went all the way up to the last stop on the train in the Bronx to go to a homeless shelter to serve food to the homeless the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It was amazing. The people were so great and it felt so good doing something for someone else. We are going to go back every month to help out now and assist with the clothing drive they have there as well; it will be great.

Rachel Cohen (LA ’05): I am a member of a young philanthropist committee. I recently was accepted and am working on a project with 10 other twenty-somethings to donate $20,000 to the charity we believe in the most. We have meetings weekly and I will be presenting my case soon! I am excited to be a part of something that will affect the lives of those less fortunate than myself. Being part of the committee has taught me a lot, like how to draw up a grant proposal, how to say no to certain charities (this is very hard to do), and all that goes into deciding who to donate the money to.

Sebastian Turner (NY ’06):  After graduating from the University of Southern California with a B.A. in psychology, I joined Teach for America and the movement to close the education gap between those who grow up in low-income communities and their peers in high-income communities. I have committed the next two years of my life to teach in East New York, Brooklyn, one of New York City's last real ghettos, in hopes to give my 25 fifth graders the educational opportunities they deserve.

Take advantage of the opportunity to help others during this holiday season. Volunteer opportunities are everywhere if you’ll just put out a little effort to participate. Let us know what you’ve done to volunteer during this holiday season by e-mailing Elina@UofDreams.com.

View last month's Feature Article: A Brave Heart is a Powerful Weapon