SERVICE

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Through my service work with the Shriver Center at UMBC, I actively engaged in community service initiatives that addressed food insecurity on campus. My work with Retriever Essentials involved packing and distributing leftover food from campus dining services to ensure that students had access to essential resources. This experience strengthened my community engagement skills, as I played a direct role in supporting students and fostering a culture of resource-sharing within the campus community. It also reinforced my civic agency, helping me recognize my role in creating positive social change through direct action. Additionally, this service opportunity allowed me to reflect on my impact, deepening my understanding of sustainable community solutions and the importance of ongoing volunteer efforts. By participating in sustained, semester-long community service through the Shriver Center, I successfully fulfilled the Silver Level requirement of the GCSP service component, demonstrating my commitment to social responsibility and sustainable solutions.

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Community Engagement

Through my volunteer work with the Shriver Center’s Retriever Essentials program, I actively participated in campus community service, ensuring that students facing food insecurity had access to essential resources. By packing and distributing surplus food from campus dining, I directly contributed to an initiative that promotes equity and well-being within the UMBC community. This hands-on experience allowed me to engage with diverse groups of students, faculty, and staff, reinforcing my understanding of how small-scale, localized efforts can create meaningful, long-term social impact. My participation in this semester-long service program exemplifies sustained community engagement, aligning with the Silver Level requirement for the GCSP service component.

 

Civic Agency

My involvement with Retriever Essentials helped me recognize my role in addressing social challenges and proactively engaging with my community. By working alongside other volunteers to combat food insecurity, I developed a stronger sense of responsibility toward my campus community and a commitment to making positive change. This experience reinforced the importance of collaborative action and social responsibility, showing me that even small contributions can support larger systemic improvements. By taking an active role in a service-driven initiative, I demonstrated civic agency, fulfilling a key component of the GCSP service learning objectives.

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Capacity for Reflection

Serving with Retriever Essentials allowed me to reflect on my role as a social actor and how individual efforts contribute to broader community well-being. Witnessing the direct impact of food distribution efforts deepened my understanding of the challenges students face and the importance of sustainable, community-driven solutions. This experience encouraged me to think critically about long-term service strategies and how I can continue to apply my skills toward socially responsible initiatives. By engaging in ongoing reflection on my service work, I strengthened my ability to assess my impact on the community and consider how to multiply my efforts for future sustainable solutions. This aligns with the Silver Level requirement of capacity for reflection within the GCSP service component.