I truly feel like one of the luckiest people in the world when it comes to my career path and professional choices. I work at an institution that not only supports me professionally, but also has my passions and interests at heart. This past semester I became a project coordinator for a program called SERVE, or “Students Engaging in Rewarding and Valuable Experiences.” SERVE projects provide a unique opportunity for faculty and staff to work with students who share similar passions and interests outside of the typical educational setting. This is a chance to engage a group of students in meaningful service work to make a practical difference in the St. Louis region.
The project I helped coordinate was titled “LIVE Rescue.” LIVE Rescue is an opportunity for students to explore the various facets of animal rescue and welfare, including animal control, animal rescue, spay/neuter initiatives, animal cruelty and abuse, advocacy and legislation, and specialty groups. As part of the project, I wanted to introduce them to different organizations within the community. Yesterday we visited Gateway Pet Guardians, and next weekend we will visit the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Task Force.
At the beginning of the semester, I created a resource and shared it with the group so they could learn what the terms meant and explore organizations that support animal rescue and welfare. My hope is that the LIVE Rescue resource will spark some interest in exploring additional organizations and encourage them to take action and get involved in the community.
And finally, I wanted the students to choose one event in the area to volunteer at, with the organization of their choice. The students chose to volunteer at Gateway Pet Guardians’ Pasta for Pets event coming up in April. They are excited to meet community members, and even more so to spend time with rescued animals!