A Lifetime of Servant Leadership

During National Service Week 2022, members of the sorority are sharing their experiences as a community volunteer and the impact that volunteering has had on their lives. 

When I pledged Omega Phi Alpha during my freshman year of college, I never imagined that it would be the start of a lifetime of service. As an OPhiA sister, sharing my skills and talents and making an impact in the community became one of my core values and volunteering has become a natural part of who I am.

I began volunteering with Junior Achievement (JA) the fall after graduation when the Community Relations Director at the company where I worked asked for my assistance. JA is a non-profit that inspires young people for success through volunteers and role models who visit their classroom and present hands-on financial literacy curriculum. I was a marketing major in college, NOT an education major, so I was a little nervous on that first day in the classroom. But the enthusiasm of the students and the “aha” moments when they connected the dots about the day’s topic made me realize that I was making a difference. 

I have been a JA classroom volunteer for 30 years and advanced in grade levels as my kids grew up, moving on to middle school and high school classrooms. When a local JA benefactor wanted to make a large gift to endow a scholarship fund, the local JA president invited me to join the initial Scholarship Committee. Interviewing the high school JA participants, hearing how their JA experience impacted their future career decisions, and awarding scholarships to help with college expenses confirmed once again that by serving through JA I was making a difference in young people’s lives. 

JA also provided me with my first opportunity to serve as a non-profit Board member (outside of OPhiA). After volunteering in the classroom for about 5 years, the Community Relations Director who had recruited me initially was stepping down from his term on the local JA Board. He noted that my passion for JA’s mission was evident and that I could further impact the organization by sharing my professional skills on the Board. As a Board member I’ve helped shape the strategic direction, undertaken fundraising efforts and made executive hiring decisions. 

That first Board experience also expanded my professional network and enabled me to develop business relationships with like-minded individuals. Since that initial role on the JA Board, I’ve stepped up to serve on other non-profit Boards in the community, including the local Girl Scouts council, my Rotary Club and Fort Worth Sister Cities.

As a Mom, I’ve tried to instill this same love of service in my children. When my daughter entered middle school we joined a mother-daughter philanthropy organization called National Charity League. We earned the Mother-Daughter Service Award each year by completing 30 hours of service together. Delivering Meals on Wheels and organizing monthly activities for the kids at the domestic violence shelter were two of our favorite ways to serve together. 

Looking back, I am so grateful to Jack, the Community Relations Director, for recognizing my potential and inviting me to get involved. 

What gifts and talents are you sharing in your community today? If you are not already engaged in service in some way, I invite you to celebrate National Service Week by contacting an organization in your community and begin making a difference.