It makes you feel good.
Above anything else, that’s Sadaris Williams’ message to students looking to get involved with the Center for Student Leadership (CSL).
Sadaris, who is in his third year as the Director of CSL, can rattle off facts about his department’s eight student teams and how they’ve generated nearly $3 million dollars for the local community in the past year. He can point to data that shows that UA students who serve even just one hour in the community have better GPAs and are more likely to graduate. He can provide examples of past CSL members who have used their volunteer experience to springboard their careers.
All of that is impressive, but CSL’s biggest selling point is the transformation it creates in its members.
“I like to tell students all the time, ‘Hey, look, it doesn’t matter what your background is. The base level of everyone’s belief is giving to others,” Sadaris said. “Volunteering and giving back to the community is the base level of that. I think it’s important for people to understand that they have to find ways to give back to the community that is giving to them right now.
“And ultimately, in doing that, you are going to feel better about yourself. You are going to have more appreciation for yourself, your community and your surroundings. And you are going to feel better.”
For students ready to take that first step, Sadaris sat down with Student Life Communications to provide his advice on finding the right service opportunity, getting involved with CSL and making an impact on campus and beyond.
Six questions with Sadaris
For students interested in serving but unsure where to start, what’s the best way to get involved?
In our office and our department, we have so many different teams. The best way to get involved is to find something you are passionate about and get directly involved with that student team by giving time and service to that organization.
If you’re passionate about fighting food insecurity, you might connect with Beat Auburn Beat Hunger. Maybe you have a sibling who spent time in a children’s hospital, and you want to support something like that — UA Miracle would be a good fit. Students who simply want to start volunteering can get involved through Serving Bama or one of our Big Days of Service events.
We have so many options, and these programs make it easy to begin serving while exploring different causes and community partners.
If students didn’t get involved at the start of the semester, is it too late to join?
No, it’s not too late. We have a few programs that remain open throughout the year.
Programs like Serving Bama, Big Days of Service and Habitat for Humanity allow students to participate when their schedules permit. Students can sign up for individual volunteer opportunities through BamaPulse and choose how often they’d like to serve.
A lot of our other groups are still taking people. The only one that’s not taking people right now is Al’s Pals. They won’t start back accepting students until October for the spring semester.
Beyond helping others, what are some benefits students gain from service?
Selfishly, you can feel better about yourself. Serving improves the thoughts that you have. It also improves how you see the world and society. Additionally, I think it’s important for students to know that if you are constantly giving your time and providing a service to an organization, that’s something you can use on your resume.
I don’t think students realize how much service can be applicable to their resume. The skills you learn while volunteering for something all day for multiple days are skills that you can use in future jobs. You’re learning about communication, collaboration, how to be adaptable. Even if you’re doing something like stacking cans, you’re learning a process.
You can gain so much for yourself, and at the same time, you are helping the community around us.
Do students need previous volunteer experience to make a difference and get involved?
I think one of the great things about service is that anyone can do it, and you don’t need previous experience. I would say it’s like finding God. You don’t need to know God to be able to find Him or to find a church. Service is something you can easily walk into and be like, ‘Oh, I can figure this out. I can learn how to do this, and I can be a part of it.’ Anyone can come in and write a thank-you letter to a police officer or a military service member.
Now, if you are trying to schedule and put together fundraising events, that might require some time and learning. However, you can develop those leadership skills through joining and becoming part of an organization.
How has student involvement with CSL grown on campus?
We are continuing to grow and get stronger every year. Over the past two years, the financial impact we’ve been able to raise has increased. We’re seeing more students who are going out and volunteering. We’re also seeing more students really get involved and seek out leadership positions within their respective organizations. In my first year, I think we had around 40 student leaders, and last year we had about 50. I know this year, for a fact, we have like 60. That shows how students are growing their opportunities and really getting involved in our community. It’s really a great thing to see.
If you could highlight one thing about CSL to students, what would it be?
I think students need to be aware of BamaPulse and the abilities it gives them to sign up for opportunities to serve the community. It’s a great way to keep up with the things that our programs post. It’s a great resource to help students be aware of our programs and get involved with them. We’re hopeful to roll out some new events that we haven’t done in the past, like helping students think about how to start a non-profit and how to improve some volunteer events. We’re really excited about that!
Get involved with CSL
Regardless of their desired level of service, Sadaris encourages students to take the first step and experience the difference CSL can make in their college experience. Whether through a one-time volunteer opportunity on BamaPulse or a leadership role within one of CSL’s student organizations, there are countless ways to get involved.
And, if nothing else, you’ll feel good doing it.