USU students share their passion for volunteering

Opportunities for volunteering at Utah State University and in Cache Valley are abundant for college students.  

Students volunteer for campus events, off-campus organizations, churches and national clubs all around the Cache Valley area.

Nicole Dellinger is one student who volunteers for Circle K on USU’s campus.  

Circle K is a worldwide organization that has a commitment to providing community service and helping build leadership skills. They are a college extension of the Kiwani high school volunteering organization. Dellinger helped re-establish the Circle K chapter on USU’s campus.  

“There are constant opportunities to help out in the community but you just need to know where to look,” Dellinger said. “You can find opportunities to serve at church, service organizations such as Kiwanis, and even at institutions like CAPSA or any other nonprofit organization.”

Dellinger believes volunteering has helped her leadership skills grow in ways that no other opportunity has.  

“Service projects require a lot of planning and execution and so that has helped me with my organizational and people skills,” she said. “But the biggest benefit is being a part of the community and getting to know those in the community.”

Junior Brookelin Backus started volunteering when she was just 14 years old. She now volunteers for the Miss Cache Valley Scholarship Program as well as Operation Underground Railroad. Backus volunteers her time by making flyers and working at booths to educate people about rescuing children from sex trafficking.  

“Volunteering has given me social skills, networking opportunities and some intense empathy towards others,” she said. “The people I’ve helped while volunteering have always been so grateful and happy to be a part of what we do.”

Backus got involved with volunteering at these organizations because of her passion for community involvement and the opportunity it gives her to get out of her comfort zone.  

“I will always continue to find new organizations to volunteer for. I only wish I would’ve done more volunteer work sooner,” Backus said.  

Madison Kondel is another student who volunteers for the Circle K organization on USU’s campus. She has been volunteering there for many years prior to her time at USU. Volunteering is now just a part of who she is.  

“Even the small simple tasks in life that you do for other people in unselfish manners help and will always happen throughout your life periodically,” she said.  

If Kondel could change one thing about her volunteering experience, it would be jumping in to help out earlier in the process.  

“I think a lot of people take advantage of the people in charge of service groups and kind of wait for things to get started,” she said. “But there is a process beforehand where things need help getting started before you can actually start the volunteer work.”

Kondel, Backus and Dellinger have all loved having the opportunity to volunteer during their college experience and encourage other students to do so as well.  

“Even though life can get extremely crazy, don’t forget to take some time and do good for others. Not only does it change other people’s lives but it affects yours,” Dellinger said. “School can get super stressful and crazy and if you need a break to get your mind back into the right mind frame to work then do some service.”

— shelbsmith2@gmail.com

@shelb_smith2