My name is Billy Mathews and I am a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in finance. When I visited Elon for the first time five years ago, the tour guide spoke about service learning and how Elon provides many opportunities for students to engage in service learning.
Service learning gives students an opportunity to learn to be responsible global citizens. Through community service projects, study abroad programs, and service learning studies, students will not just give their own time. The idea is that students will receive just as much as they give. As a freshman, I jumped right into a service learning project in my first semester college writing class. After reading Mountains Beyond Mountains, our class decided that we wanted to make an impact. We were moved by the sheer poverty that the country of Haiti was experiencing, and wanted to do something to help. We organized a fundraiser for Partners in Health, which is an international health and social justice program. We ended up raising over $5,000 as a class.
As an outgoing senior in the spring of 2010, I am excited for the opportunity to engage in another service learning experience in South Africa. I am very impressed with the past South Africa study abroad programs, and I would like to continue the impressive legacy that Elon Students have left behind. I would really like to work with the children of South Africa, and help in any way possible. I have worked as a counselor at a summer camp for many of my summer breaks and enjoy the way that kids find joy in the smallest things. I feel that I get more in return from working with kids than they get from me. An important part of service learning is to not only give, but to receive. I hope that this winter term, I will come back with a better understanding of South African culture and history. I cannot wait to see the country that we have learned so much about.