As the region’s slow return to economic normalcy (a challenging concept in Rhode Island, I know) continues, there is one trend that speaks to the character of the state. I’m talking about the engagement of college students in the community.
Institutions of higher learning across the state are seeing more and more students volunteering, taking internships at nonprofits, and looking for a future in the social service world. Is it because they see more need than those students from a generation ago? Do they see more employment opportunities in the region as for-profit enterprises struggle to grow beyond the bare minimum to survive?
Those questions may be unanswerable, but there is at least one hint as to why this is happening.
Students today are more acutely aware that they need to spend their four years in college working toward a goal – an employment goal. Just hanging for their time in school won’t cut it, especially if they are expecting to graduate with any significant amount of student debt. The time to develop job skills is not the summer after graduation, but rather through work during the school year, as well as over the summer and other time off.
But it’s not just the young people who are getting more engaged with the community. Volunteering, as evidenced by the growing activity of Serve Rhode Island, which coordinates, facilitates and organizes activities for individuals and corporations, is getting a boost from all generations, although it certainly is not as much as it could be.
According to national statistics, the percentage of Rhode Islanders who volunteer is well behind that of Connecticut and Massachusetts citizens. As government services continue to contract due to budget constraints and our population ages, the need for helping hands will no doubt increase. And more of the community, not just the young, will need to get engaged.
Mark S. Murphy
Editor
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