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Are you applying to a college or a scholarship that requires a community service essay? Do you know how to write an essay that will impress readers and clearly show the impact your work had on yourself and others?

Read on to learn step-by-step instructions for writing a great community service essay that will help you stand out and be memorable.

What Is a Community Service Essay? Why Do You Need One?

A community service essay is an essay that describes the volunteer work you did and the impact it had on you and your community. Community service essays can vary widely depending on specific requirements listed in the application, but, in general, they describe the work you did, why you found the work important, and how it benefited people around you.

Community service essays are typically needed for two reasons:

#1: To Apply to College

• Some colleges require students to write community service essays as part of their application or to be eligible for certain scholarships.
• You may also choose to highlight your community service work in your personal statement.

#2: To Apply for Scholarships

• Some scholarships are specifically awarded to students with exceptional community service experiences, and many use community service essays to help choose scholarship recipients.
• Green Mountain College offers one of the most famous of these scholarships. Their "Make a Difference Scholarship" offers full tuition, room, and board to students who have demonstrated a significant, positive impact through their community service

Getting Started With Your Essay

In the following sections, I'll go over each step of how to plan and write your essay. I'll also include sample excerpts for you to look through so you can get a better idea of what readers are looking for when they review your essay.

Step 1: Know the Essay Requirements

Before your start writing a single word, you should be familiar with the essay prompt. Each college or scholarship will have different requirements for their essay, so make sure you read these carefully and understand them.

Specific things to pay attention to include:

• Length requirement
• Application deadline
• The main purpose or focus of the essay
• If the essay should follow a specific structure

Below are three real community service essay prompts. Read through them and notice how much they vary in terms of length, detail, and what information the writer should include.

From the Equitable Excellence Scholarship:

"Describe your outstanding achievement in depth and provide the specific planning, training, goals, and steps taken to make the accomplishment successful. Include details about your role and highlight leadership you provided. Your essay must be a minimum of 350 words but not more than 600 words."

From the Laura W. Bush Traveling Scholarship:

"Essay (up to 500 words, double spaced) explaining your interest in being considered for the award and how your proposed project reflects or is related to both UNESCO's mandate and U.S. interests in promoting peace by sharing advances in education, science, culture, and communications."

From the LULAC National Scholarship Fund:

"Please type or print an essay of 300 words (maximum) on how your academic studies will contribute to your personal & professional goals. In addition, please discuss any community service or extracurricular activities you have been involved in that relate to your goals."

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas

Even after you understand what the essay should be about, it can still be difficult to begin writing. Answer the following questions to help brainstorm essay ideas. You may be able to incorporate your answers into your essay.

• What community service activity that you've participated in has meant the most to you?
• What is your favorite memory from performing community service?
• Why did you decide to begin community service?
• What made you decide to volunteer where you did?
• How has your community service changed you?
• How has your community service helped others?
• How has your community service affected your plans for the future?

You don't need to answer all the questions, but if you find you have a lot of ideas for one of two of them, those may be things you want to include in your essay.

Writing Your Essay

How you structure your essay will depend on the requirements of the scholarship or school you are applying to. You may give an overview of all the work you did as a volunteer, or highlight a particularly memorable experience. You may focus on your personal growth or how your community benefited.

Regardless of the specific structure requested, follow the guidelines below to make sure your community service essay is memorable and clearly shows the impact of your work.

Samples of mediocre and excellent essays are included below to give you a better idea of how you should draft your own essay.

Step 1: Hook Your Reader In

You want the person reading your essay to be interested, so your first sentence should hook them in and entice them to read more. A good way to do this is to start in the middle of the action. Your first sentence could describe you helping build a house, releasing a rescued animal back to the wild, watching a student you tutored read a book on their own, or something else that quickly gets the reader interested. This will help set your essay apart and make it more memorable.

Compare these two opening sentences:

"I have volunteered at the Wishbone Pet Shelter for three years."

"The moment I saw the starving, mud-splattered puppy brought into the shelter with its tail between its legs, I knew I'd do whatever I could to save it."

The first sentence is a very general, bland statement. The majority of community service essays probably begin a lot like it, but it gives the reader little information and does nothing to draw them in. On the other hand, the second sentence begins immediately with action and helps persuade the reader to keep reading so they can learn what happened to the dog.

Step 2: Discuss the Work You Did

Once you've hooked your reader in with your first sentence, tell them about your community service experiences. State where you work, when you began working, how much time you've spent there, and what your main duties include. This will help the reader quickly put the rest of the essay in context and understand the basics of your community service work.

Not including basic details about your community service could leave your reader confused.

Step 3: Include Specific Details

It's the details of your community service that make your experience unique and memorable, so go into the specifics of what you did.

For example, don't just say you volunteered at a nursing home; talk about reading Mrs. Johnson her favorite book, watching Mr. Scott win at bingo, and seeing the residents play games with their grandchildren at the family day you organized. Try to include specific activities, moments, and people in your essay. Having details like these let the readers really understand what work you did and how it differs from other volunteer experiences.

Compare these two passages:

"For my volunteer work, I tutored children at a local elementary school. I helped them improve their math skills and become more confident students."

"As a volunteer at York Elementary School, I worked one-on-one with second and third graders who struggled with their math skills, particularly addition, subtraction, and fractions. As part of my work, I would create practice problems and quizzes and try to connect math to the students' interests. One of my favorite memories was when Sara, a student I had been working with for several weeks, told me that she enjoyed the math problems I had created about a girl buying and selling horses so much that she asked to help me create math problems for other students."

The first passage only gives basic information about the work done by the volunteer; there is very little detail included, and no evidence is given to support her claims. How did she help students improve their math skills? How did she know they were becoming more confident?

The second passage is much more detailed. It recounts a specific story and explains more fully what kind of work the volunteer did, as well as a specific instance of a student becoming more confident with her math skills. Providing more detail in your essay helps support your claims as well as make your essay more memorable and unique.

Step 4: Show Your Personality

It would be very hard to get a scholarship or place at a school if none of your readers felt like they knew much about you after finishing your essay, so make sure that your essay shows your personality. The way to do this is to state your personal strengths, then provide examples to support your claims. Take some time to think about which parts of your personality you would like your essay to highlight, then write about specific examples to show this.

• If you want to show that you're a motivated leader, describe a time when you organized an event or supervised other volunteers.
• If you want to show your teamwork skills, write about a time you helped a group of people work together better.
• If you want to show that you're a compassionate animal lover, write about taking care of neglected shelter animals and helping each of them find homes.

Step 5: State What You Accomplished

After you have described your community service and given specific examples of your work, you want to begin to wrap your essay up by stating your accomplishments. What was the impact of your community service? Did you build a house for a family to move into? Help students improve their reading skills? Clean up a local park? Make sure the impact of your work is clear; don't be worried about bragging here.

If you can include specific numbers, that will also strengthen your essay. Saying "I delivered meals to 24 home-bound senior citizens" is a stronger example than just saying "I delivered meals to lots of senior citizens."

Also be sure to explain why your work matters. Why is what you did important? Did it provide more parks for kids to play in? Help students get better grades? Give people medical care who would otherwise not have gotten it? This is an important part of your essay, so make sure to go into enough detail that your readers will know exactly what you accomplished and how it helped your community.

"My biggest accomplishment during my community service was helping to organize a family event at the retirement home. The children and grandchildren of many residents attended, and they all enjoyed playing games and watching movies together."

"The community service accomplishment that I'm most proud of is the work I did to help organize the First Annual Family Fun Day at the retirement home. My job was to design and organize fun activities that senior citizens and their younger relatives could enjoy. The event lasted eight hours and included ten different games, two performances, and a movie screening with popcorn. Almost 200 residents and family members attended throughout the day. This event was important because it provided an opportunity for senior citizens to connect with their family members in a way they aren't often able to. It also made the retirement home seem more fun and enjoyable to children, and we have seen an increase in the number of kids coming to visit their grandparents since the event."

The second passage is stronger for a variety of reasons. First, it goes into much more detail about the work the volunteer did. The first passage only states that she helped "organize a family event." That really doesn't tell readers much about her work or what her responsibilities were. The second passage is much clearer; her job was to "design and organize fun activities."

The second passage also explains the event in more depth. A family day can be many things; remember that your readers are likely not familiar with what you're talking about, so details help them get a clearer picture.

Lastly, the second passage makes the importance of the event clear: it helped residents connect with younger family members, and it helped retirement homes seem less intimidating to children, so now some residents see their grand kids more often.

Step 6: Discuss What You Learned

One of the final things to include in your essay should be the impact that your community service had on you. You can discuss skills you learned, such as carpentry, public speaking, animal care, or another skill.

You can also talk about how you changed personally. Are you more patient now? More understanding of others? Do you have a better idea of the type of career you want? Go into depth about this, but be honest. Don't say your community service changed your life if it didn't because trite statements won't impress readers.

In order to support your statements, provide more examples. If you say you're more patient now, how do you know this? Do you get less frustrated while playing with your younger siblings? Are you more willing to help group partners who are struggling with their part of the work? You've probably noticed by now that including specific examples and details is one of the best ways to create a strong and believable essay .

"As a result of my community service, I learned a lot about building houses and became a more mature person."

"As a result of my community service, I gained hands-on experience in construction. I learned how to read blueprints, use a hammer and nails, and begin constructing the foundation of a two-bedroom house. Working on the house could be challenging at times, but it taught me to appreciate the value of hard work and be more willing to pitch in when I see someone needs help. My dad has just started building a shed in our backyard, and I offered to help him with it because I know from my community service how much work it is. I also appreciate my own house more, and I know how lucky I am to have a roof over my head."

The second passage is more impressive and memorable because it describes the skills the writer learned in more detail and recounts a specific story that supports her claim that her community service changed her and made her more helpful.

Step 7: Finish Strong

Just as you started your essay in a way that would grab readers' attention, you want to finish your essay on a strong note as well. A good way to end your essay is to state again the impact your work had on you, your community, or both. Reiterate how you changed as a result of your community service, why you found the work important, or how it helped others.

Compare these two concluding statements:

"In conclusion, I learned a lot from my community service at my local museum, and I hope to keep volunteering and learning more about history."

"To conclude, volunteering at my city's American History Museum has been a great experience. By leading tours and participating in special events, I became better at public speaking and am now more comfortable starting conversations with people. In return, I was able to get more community members interested in history and our local museum. My interest in history has deepened, and I look forward to studying the subject in college and hopefully continuing my volunteer work at my university's own museum."

The second passage takes each point made in the first passage and expands upon it. In a few sentences, the second passage is able to clearly convey what work the volunteer did, how she changed, and how her volunteer work benefited her community.

The author of the second passage also ends her essay discussing her future and how she'd like to continue her community service, which is a good way to wrap things up because it shows your readers that you are committed to community service for the long-term.

What's Next?

Are you applying to a community service scholarship or thinking about it? We have a complete list of all the community service scholarships available to help get your search started!

Do you need a community service letter as well? We have a step-by-step guide that will tell you how to get a great reference letter from your community service supervisor.

Thinking about doing community service abroad? Before you sign up, read our guide on some of the hazards of international volunteer trips and how to know if it's the right choice for you.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Tips for Writing a Standout Community Service Essay

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Through your college applications process, you’re likely to come across the term “community service” many times. In fact, you may be asked to write an essay about it. This post will cover the specifics of a community service essay and how to go about writing one, including what to cover and common mistakes to avoid. 

What is a Community Service Essay?

You may encounter the community service essay as you’re writing your supplemental essays for college. These are school-specific prompts that only go to the college that requests them, unlike the personal statement , which goes to every school you apply to. Not all schools require community service essays, but several do. It’s also a common requirement for scholarship applications, especially if it’s a school-specific merit scholarship. 

The community service essay is an essay that describes the initiatives you have taken outside of the classroom to benefit your community. In a 2018 survey of 264 admissions leaders across the US, 58% said that community service is a tie-breaker between students who are otherwise equally qualified. The community service essay offers you the opportunity to shine light on the work you have done to make an impact on the world and people around you, and is an additional way to help you stand out among other applicants. 

Approaching the Community Service Essay 

Understand the essay requirements  .

As with any essay, it’s important to first understand what is expected of your essay. For a start, elements to pay attention to include: 

• Length requirements
• Focus or subject of the essay prompt 
• Organization of the essay 

Although all community service essays ultimately have the same purpose of having you describe your local service activities, they can come with different types of prompts. Below are three sample prompts. Note the differences in topic specificity, length requirements, and breadth of the prompt. 

From the CGCS – Bernard Harris Scholarship Program: 

Please describe a meaningful volunteer or community service experience, including what you learned from participating.

From the University of California Application :

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? (350 words).

From the Equitable Excellence Scholarship:

Describe your outstanding achievement in depth and provide the specific planning, training, goals, and steps taken to make the accomplishment successful. Include details about your role and highlight leadership you provided. Your essay must be a minimum of 350 words but not more than 600 words.

Brainstorming for your community service essay 

Once you have an understanding of what is required of the specific you are to write, the next step is to brainstorm ideas for a specific topic. If you have various community-engaged service experiences under your belt, consider the following before you finalize your decision. 

The best topics:

Are substantial in length and scope. It’s better to cover a long-term commitment than a one-off afternoon at the food pantry or animal shelter. 

Are transformative or inspiring. Although community service is “others”-oriented, colleges are looking to learn more about you. The ideal community service essay topic should be an experience that changed or challenged your perspective, and was ultimately fulfilling. 

Illustrate personal qualities or passions that you want to highlight. Given the specific prompt, and taking the rest of your application into consideration, which personal interests do you want to highlight? Which activity illuminates the personal quality that you want to bring attention to? 

These are all elements to consider before you begin writing your essay. 

Tips for Writing Your Community Service Essay 

1. include anecdotes.

Anecdotes are a great way to begin your essay, not only as a way to grab your reader’s attention, but by launching right into the experience of your service activity. You can start with a line about a particularly busy afternoon at the orphanage, or a morning cleaning up the streets after a storm, or the sense of accomplishment you felt when you watched a dog under your care at the animal shelter get adopted. 

2. Show, don’t tell 

We’re sure you’ve heard this axiom of general writing before, but it applies to college essays just as much as with any other piece of writing. Opt for evocative examples over plain explaining whenever possible. Take this sentence: “There was a lot of food waste at our school cafeteria.” It’s not nearly as powerful as this description: “I peered into the tall, gray trash cans to inspect the mountain of Styrofoam trays and discarded food. There were countless pizza crusts, globs of green beans, and unopened cartons of milk.” 

Anyone could write the first sentence, and it’s not a unique experience. In the second description, we’re shown the scene of the writer’s lunchroom. We get a peek into their perspective and life, which makes the writing more vivid and relatable. Aim to bring your reader into your world as much as possible.

3. Share your responsibilities and accomplishments.

The more tangible your community service activities feel to the reader, the more powerful your essay will be. Concretize your work by stating the basic details of what kind of work you did and what your duties involved, where it was based, when you began working, and the amount of time you spent working. 

Be sure to quantify your work and accomplishments when possible; it’s better to say your fundraiser yielded 125 books than “a large number” of books. It’s important to also elaborate on why the work you did matters. Why was it important? Did the books you collected or purchased after the fundraiser expand the library of the local orphanage that they already had, or did it offer the children easy access to books that wasn’t available previously? Be specific and detailed.  

4. Highlight what you learned and how you’ll use those lessons moving forward. 

Towards the end of your essay, you’ll want to share how you benefited from the community service work you did. This is an important part of the essay, because it shows how you are able to distill your experiences to applicable lessons in your own life. 

Think of this section in two potential parts: skills you learned, and personal development. Did you gain any hard skills, such as public speaking, poster design, or funds management? Then think about how you developed as an individual. Are you more empathetic or patient now? 

Things to Avoid in Your Community Service Essay 

1. don’t list out everything that happened..

You want to keep your essay well-structured and concise. This isn’t a résumé, or a play-by-play of the entire experience. Stick to the most telling details and anecdotes from your experience. 

2. Avoid using a pretentious or privileged tone.

Humility goes a long way, and entitlement can be smelled from afar. The purpose of this essay is not to paint yourself as a savior of any kind, but rather to show what’s important to you in your non-academic life, and how you approach solving real-world and interpersonal problems. 

3. Avoid clichés.

It may be tempting to quote famous people, but doing so can easily seem like a shortcut, plus it shows little of who you are. Try also to steer clear of trite and vague life lesson lines such as “I learned that people can be happy with so little,” or “I learned the importance of giving back.” Not only do they carry a tone of privilege, they are also sweeping general conclusions and don’t convey anything specific of what you learned. 

Community service is only a part of the college application process, which can be daunting and confusing. CollegeVine will help you navigate each step of the process, from building a college list, to calculating your chances at each school using our chancing engine. Create your free account and get started now !

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Essays About Community Service: Top 5 Examples Plus Prompts

If you are looking for your next writing topic, discover top examples of essays about community service and helpful writing prompts in our guide.

Community service refers to an individual or a group’s volunteer work dedicated to improving the community and its people. In America, Benjamin Franklin introduced community service in the 18th century by developing the idea of ​​the first volunteer firehouse in Philadelphia . Since then, stepping up has become a norm, with more people encouraged to participate.

Volunteering helps individuals gain experience, improve self-esteem, expand knowledge, and promote healthy goals. In addition, choosing community service as a topic in your essay allows you to explain its significance to entice your readers to get involved. To give you an idea of ​​how to write essays about community service, here are five examples that will help you.

5 Top Examples On Essays About Community Service

1. essay on community service and its importance by joni kim, 2. community service experience: essay on what i learned by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 3. why is community service important by perry mullins, 4. concept of the community services in modern society essay by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 5. community service experience essay by writer molly, 1. community service vs. volunteering, 2. community service: then and now, 3. why we should volunteer, 4. community service in schools: mandatory or voluntary, 5. community service and its influences, 6. types of community service, 7. my community service experience, 8. donation or service: what’s better to give.

“The service helps the group of people in need, for example, senior citizens, children, people with disability and the likes. Sometimes community service is geared towards solving problems related to the needs of community members, especially low-income earners.”

Kim explains that community service is a voluntary action done through various means. It includes health and child care services, education, housing, and other improvements to aid and support the community members who need the most assistance. Then, Kim focuses on its importance to individuals, the community, and the country. The essay showcases how community service improves social, interpersonal, and decision-making skills. It also allows students to explore and find their interests. Ultimately, Kim believes that the real-life experience of volunteering assists in determining one’s career path, providing advantages when applying for a job.

“This experience has helped me to cherish my ability to influence and impact others in a positive way, and it helped me to look at community service as a benefit for myself, instead of just another obligation to fit into my schedule.”

In this essay, the writer reflects on their community service experience, sharing the gains they reaped from the program. They discuss how their undying love for animals and tight-knit communities made them realize the gravity of sharing. They also had the opportunity to strengthen and develop a new set of talents and skills from the encounter. However, the author also mentions that when the desire to do good morphs into a forced responsibility, it leads to failure. The writer says they often receive more benefits than the people and animals they help, as the experience makes them more patient, flexible, and responsible.

“True volunteering lies in an individual’s will and drives to help other and enforcing it eliminates that drive.”

Mullins focuses his essay on explaining why it should not be mandatory for students to do community service. For him, mandatory volunteering takes away the true meaning of volunteerism. Students only view it as additional work – an obligatory criterion they must check off their list to graduate. He claims that students will gain nothing but stress instead of new skills and knowledge when compulsory community services are in place.

“As for me, I consider community work as a good opportunity to get the main idea of some particular services, still, I would not have the same great desire to participate in social life if the services would become obligatory for graduation.”

In modern society, volunteering is becoming a necessary factor in many organizations. People with experience in community service have more opportunities to get a job. The author delves into community service’s importance but also criticizes that making it a requisite takes away its value. With various arguments from professionals like Alina Tugend , the essay further argues that no one would want to receive help from people who consider it an obligation.

“The community service project is different from other school educations the community service can teach us how to love others and how to fulfill our heart with joy.”

Molly dislikes homeless people because of their appearance and smell, but this all changes when cleaning and selling preloved items to homeless people becomes the best experience of her life. Community service taught her that the homeless are no different from her. She also learned to be thankful for her situation. She concludes that after the program, she became more respectful, responsible, and caring to other people.

Do you want to secure that A+ Grade? Check out our round-up of the best essay writing apps for students and academics.

8 Helpful Prompts on Essays About Community Service

If you’re still confused about the topic and can’t choose what to talk about, you can use the prompts below:

To write this prompt, the first part of your essay should discuss the meaning of community service and volunteering. Next, identify and examine the different characteristics of a community service worker and volunteer to clearly explain their similarities and differences. Then finish your essay with your opinion on the matter or look for more information you can expound on in your own words. 

This prompt shows how people’s definitions, processes, and perceptions of community service changed over time. Research and write down how community service started in your country or area to make it more relatable. Include examples of community services that made a big difference for the community and consider how these services impacted people’s lives.

Explain to your readers what voluntary work means and why exposure to it is crucial. Next, write the advantages and disadvantages of volunteering and what they should expect if they decide to be a volunteer. Finally, share your experience to clarify your comments, suggestions, and other points.

The decision to make community service mandatory in every school is still up for debate. First, pen your opinion on this topic and whether or not you agree with compulsory community service. Then, discuss your reasons and provide examples or factual evidence to support your arguments.

Identify and scrutinize the positive and negative effects of community service. Find news articles where one type of community service impacted its volunteers, community, and people differently. Write down how the organizer dealt with different situations and if it affected the program’s outcome.

There are three kinds of community service: direct, indirect, and advocacy. First, discuss and give examples for each one. Then, explain how these services differ from programs under service-learning. For example, direct community service includes directly serving homeless people food and clothes, while in service-learning, volunteers will teach people to garden and earn income. 

Use this prompt to share your memorable experience while doing community service and what you learned from it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a short program at your school, work, or organization. The important thing is that you have experience in community service. Include your initial reaction and if it changed over time while you were doing the service.

Some choose to donate money to various organizations that perform community service. Others join the program and personally help other people. In this prompt, share your opinion on the topic and whether you consider donating as community service. To make your essay more intriguing, look for prominent personalities who consistently contribute or engage in community service versus those who only present monetary assistance. 

AI grammar checkers are powerful resources that can help you improve your writing. See our guide on how to use an AI grammar checker. For help with this topic, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing ?

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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August 1, 2022

How To Share Your Volunteer Experience With Colleges & Scholarship Officials

Written by: Paige Mast

Volunteering is an essential factor that helps you stand out on college and scholarship applications. 

Volunteering helps you learn so many different things like teamwork, leadership, and compassion. Plus, you’re not just “learning” these things when you’re volunteering — you’re BECOMING these things! Articulating your personal development through volunteering is a great way to stand out in a sea of applications.

It is important to remember that volunteering is not just about the hours; it is also the experience. When you use the Givefinity app, you can enter all your stories, experiences, and hours to easily create a compelling Volunteer Report! 

Why is volunteering important for college applications?

This Tik Tok from Collegewise discusses why volunteering is important for juniors and seniors in high school, as well as current college students. 

In this video, she says, “Colleges aren’t impressed by how many hours you’re volunteering.” At first, that was puzzling to hear! Sure, the amount of time spent volunteering is important… but what is most important is why you spent that time volunteering. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself when volunteering:

• What is the backstory? Why did you decide to volunteer in that specific area?
• How much did this experience impact you? Others?
• WHY was it so impactful?

Keep these questions in mind when you apply for colleges and scholarships. Remember, it is about what you experienced, not how many hours you worked. 

How to write about your volunteer experience for college

College applications are a crucial point in your college career — the beginning! 

When applying to your chosen college, you need to know a lot of information. More than the number of hours, you’ll need to know specific details about your volunteering activities. Whenever you are at a volunteer activity be sure to take pictures, journal, or even capture videos. The Givefinity app is helpful with this because you can log all of the information needed into the app! 

When colleges look at your documents, they do not want to read that you just volunteered and that was it. They want to know who, what, where, and how:

• Who did you volunteer with? Did you go with others? Who made you decide this was an experience you wanted? Who did you meet? Who impacted you the most?
• What did you do? What did you learn? What do you wish you could do more of? 
• Where did you go? Where else can you volunteer?
• How did you find this volunteering organization or opportunity? How did you feel before and after? How did this affect you in the short term and long term? 

It is important to remember to tell a story about how it was not a “me experience” but a “them experience” (this is why we love our Givefinity hashtag # BetterMeBetterWe ). Although your volunteer experiences have to do with YOU, it is mainly about what you did for OTHERS. 

Don’t forget: this is a mutual experience for both you and the people impacted by your efforts. Share how your volunteer work is helping others, as well as how you learned and developed personally. 

Tips for writing about volunteering

When you sit down to write your essays, look back at pictures, videos, and notes you captured over the years. It can be hard to remember details when you’ve been volunteering with several organizations over a long period of time. 

The Givefinity app will help ease that difficulty when writing! When using the app, you can put those pictures and notes right into your volunteer hour log.

As you walk down volunteer-memory-lane and look for essay inspiration, here are our top tips:

• Share what you felt at a specific moment. Sentimental details are crucial! It never hurts to write about a moment you felt was tender when volunteering. 
• All volunteer work is important, no matter how small! Any experience could be significant enough to mention, even if it seems like a blip on your volunteering report. However, if it is a shorter experience, be sure to emphasize why it is important. 
• Make a connection to your volunteer work and desired area of study. Tell a story that shows how your volunteer efforts have helped you hone in on something you love! Even if a volunteer opportunity does not align with your work, major, minor, etc., perhaps you still learned something that helped you on your journey. 
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help! When you write essays, it is important to ask for help. Submitting an essay to a scholarship or college application representative means you should be entering your best work. Always solicit feedback and criticism on your essay from peers, parents, teachers, and others.

What to emphasize when writing your essay

It is important to remember some of these important points when writing an essay, such as:

• The name of the organization
• How often or when did you volunteer with them? Was it per day, week, or month? How many hours did you volunteer?
• Why do you volunteer with them? What made you choose that organization? 
• Is this for school, work, etc.?
• Did you take any leadership roles?

If you already know your major and are volunteering before college, try to align the volunteer work with that major. It is also important to mention any learning opportunities and what you’ve already gained through that experience. 

How to share your volunteering experience with college or scholarship officials

In this day and age, it is easy to find any kind of scholarship. You can even get a scholarship or money by making a prom outfit out of duct tape! So, with volunteering, be sure to choose activities that help you stand out. 

When looking for scholarships, it is as simple as searching for “scholarships for volunteering”. Many common applications ask on the application about any activities done, like volunteering! Remember to put down experience that lines up with your potential degree first.

The Givefinity app is helpful when sharing volunteering experiences. When you use the app, you can share these volunteering hours with yourself or others of importance. So make your life a little easier — download the Givefinity app today and get ahead of the ball on tracking your volunteer hours!

Paige Mast is the author of the Some Random Gal blog and is currently a student at Middle Tennessee State University. Check out her blog to learn about college & life lessons through her eyes.

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Blog > Application Strategy , Common App , Personal Statement > 4 Questions to Ask Before Writing a College Essay About Volunteering

4 Questions to Ask Before Writing a College Essay About Volunteering

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Alex McNeil, MA Admissions Consultant

Key Takeaway

You know that colleges are on the search for students who will be good community members, so writing about your volunteer work or community service probably seems like an obvious choice. But with a common topic like volunteering, it’s easy for your essay to fall flat.

If you’re thinking about writing your Common App essay about volunteering, you should consider asking yourself these five questions before making your final topic selection.

College Essays About Volunteering are Common

Let’s face it. Most high school students have done some kind of volunteer work. Many high schools even require students to complete volunteer hours before they can graduate.

Community service + college essay = home run, right?

Well, not necessarily.

Because volunteering is such a common experience, it’s not a particularly unique topic to write your college essay about. We explain in our guide to college essays that you don’t have to write about a unique topic to write a great college essay. But if you choose one of the really common topics—which volunteering is—then you’ll have a more challenging time writing an essay that stands out.

Questions to Ask Yourself

So, is volunteering the right topic for you? The following four questions will help you decide.

1. Is the experience I’m writing about one that genuinely changed my life in a tangible way that can be explained with specific examples?

The volunteer experience you write about shouldn’t be one-off or surface-level. If it’s important enough to write your college essay on, then it should have deeply impacted you.

You should also be able to draw out salient stories or examples.

2. Am I passionate about continuing to devote my time to this cause in the future?

A “yes” to this question ensures that you’re crafting a good cohesive application narrative . The cause you’re volunteering for should be one you’re passionate about.

3. Is this the best story I have to tell, and is it the one that will say the most about me to an admissions committee?

When coming up with a college essay topic, it’s always important to ask this question. If you have another topic that would better explain who you are and why to an admissions committee, then it’s worth re-considering.

4. Is the story I want to tell one that I can and should center myself in?

Finally, this last question is an important one. Sometimes college essays about volunteering come across as inauthentic when the writer comes in to save the day. Other essays focus too much on others or inappropriately center the writer. Make sure your volunteering experience lends itself to a personal statement.

If the answer to all of these questions is yes, then write on! If the answer to any of these questions is no, then consider alternative topics .

Good College Essays about Volunteering

Okay, with those questions out of the way, let’s take a look at two ways college essays about volunteering can stand out.

Passion and Community Fit

Community fit is why most applicants write about volunteering in the first place. You want to show admissions officers that you’re a good person who knows how to engage with your community. What better way to do that than by showing them your tangible actions?

When your volunteer experience speaks to a part of your application narrative , then it can work to strengthen how an admissions officer understands who you are.

Let’s say you’re an aspiring elementary education major who was deeply impacted by your volunteer work tutoring a second grader in your school’s mentorship program. Awesome! Your volunteer work aligns with a clear passion, and it makes sense in the broader scope of your application.

Or maybe you’re applying to a computer science program and volunteered your time to create a website for your local food bank. Amazing—an admissions officer will clearly see how your volunteer work coheres with your values and academic goals.

Exceptional Accomplishment

The other great reason to write about your volunteer work is if you have a related outstanding accomplishment. Remember: the key to writing about your extracurricular activities is showing your magnitude, reach, and impact . If you’ve had a significant effect on others through volunteering, then it can be a great way to show admissions officers the extent of your involvement.

So what might magnitude, reach, or impact in volunteering look like? Maybe you raised thousands of dollars for an organization. Maybe it was even an organization that you started. Or perhaps you spearheaded a massive initiative, coordinated hundreds of volunteers, or designed a new way of helping others. Maybe your work made it to the local or national media, or maybe you were awarded a leadership position for your efforts.

Tangible, actionable, and quantifiable accomplishments that go beyond the four walls of your school can help you stand out to the admissions committee.

Key Takeaways

At best, essays about volunteering can showcase your passion, compassion, and community fit for an institution. But they can also be generic essays that get lost in the crowd. At worst, they can be reductive in how they discuss complex social issues.

Writing about volunteering will be in your best interest when it is a core part of your application narrative or it demonstrates exceptional reach, magnitude, or impact. Otherwise, try brainstorming other college essay topics .

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A Manual For Composing A Persuasive Essay On Volunteering

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding experience that individuals can have. There have been countless studies to show that volunteers are happier and have better social networks than their peers. In addition to the immediate personal benefit, volunteering has a way of changing lives and helping the community. When writing a persuasive essay on this topic, students can use the personal, societal and physiological impact of volunteering.

Follow a Volunteer

If the teacher allows it, students should spend a day volunteering somewhere. They can ask fellow volunteers for their story and learn why different people volunteer. In addition, students should talk to the people affected by the volunteer organization. By using these personal stories, students can improve the quality and emotional impact of their persuasive essay.

Pick an Argument and Support It

The entire goal of a persuasive essay is to argue a point. Students can choose a basic argument about the benefits or drawbacks of volunteering. For a more unique topic, students can pick a specific issue and argue how that issue needs volunteers. As the student writes, they can use statistics and other information to support their cause. Many organizations will publish statistics about the impact that they have on the community. By looking at these statistics, students can get high-quality research for their paper.

Build an Outline

Once the student has finished researching their paper, they need to create an outline. This outline should include a thesis statement, introduction and a conclusion. In the ensuing space, students should write out a topic sentence for every paragraph. Beneath the topic sentence, the student should write down the research that they will use to support their point. Some students prefer to write the outline on sticky notes because this allows them to move and adjust the order of the paragraphs easily. Although this is a great technique, students only need to do it if they feel like it is necessary.

Time to Write

One of the hardest parts of writing about volunteering is the actual writing. Many students get writers' block whenever they start to work. An outline can help to prevent this by letting students know exactly what they will cover in the next part of the paper. Students can also try setting daily goals for their assignment. By writing just a few hundred words every day, students can break up a long, difficult task into manageable pieces.

How to Write a Volunteer Essay

Dr. Cuyler B Goodwin, DO

A volunteer essay is an essay that describes the personal experience of a person who has volunteered their time to help others. This type of essay is usually written for a class or scholarship application . It should include information about why you decided to volunteer, what your experience was like, and what you learned from it. Keep reading to learn more about how to write a great volunteer essay!

Why You Decided to Volunteer

One of the first things you should address in your essay is why you decided to volunteer in the first place. What made you want to help out? Was there a specific incident that inspired you? Or did you have a more general desire to give back to your community? Whatever the reason, make sure to mention it in your essay.

Your Volunteer Experience

Next, you’ll want to describe your actual experience volunteering . Where did you go? Who did you help? What did you do? What were some of the challenges you faced? And most importantly, what did you learn from the experience? This is the heart of your essay, so make sure to really take the time to reflect on your time volunteering and what it meant to you.

What You Learned

Lastly, conclude your essay by talking about what you learned from volunteering. How did it change your perspective? Did it make you more grateful for what you have? Did it inspire you to continue volunteering in the future? Again, take some time to reflect on your experience and what it meant to you before wrapping up your essay.

Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and make a difference in the lives of others. If you’re applying for a scholarship or class that requires an essay, don’t hesitate to write about your experiences as a volunteer. Just remember to focus on why you decided to volunteer, what your experience was like, and what you learned from it. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to writing a great volunteer essay!

Additional Information

• Dr. Cuyler Goodwin

86 Volunteering Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best volunteering topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on volunteering, ❓ research questions about volunteering.

• Volunteering as Extracurricular Activity Today, I am firmly sure that it is a healthy and refreshing experience to be able to participate in extracurricular activities which Thayer Academy offers me as a student and member of the American society.
• Volunteering and Its Numerous Benefits for the Elderly It can be an essential component of their socialization and improvement of the self-esteem for older people, for the strengthening of their physical and mental health and stress-resistance. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Volunteer Tourism The main motivation of this kind of tourism is to volunteer in working for the host community as the tourists learn more about their culture and other things.
• The Food Forward Organization’s Volunteer Management In such a way, the involvement of fully paid employees might change the balance within the company and require reconsidering the approach to working with employees and encouraging them.
• Nursing Volunteering in Vietnam Vietnam, as a low-income country, needs the help of volunteer nurses to offer their skills and services by assisting medical staff in the city’s centers and other places where residents need medical care.
• The Volunteering Impact on Communities As for me, I feel that if I become a volunteer in the nearest future, I will not have enough time to recover from my studies and work, so my contribution will be negligible.
• The Commonpoint Queens Agency’s Volunteer Programs The goal of the agency is to provide social services to the people of Queens and other New York city residents: from mental health counselling to various classes and resources to live.
• Prosocial Behavior, Volunteering, and Donation Nevertheless, it is vital to understand that prosocial behavior is a fundamental factor in contributing to the upbringing of responsible and responsive future generations of the nation, which makes the given subject crucial for discussion.
• “Problems Recruiting Volunteers” by Hager & Brudney As the authors of the article state, “motivation to volunteer is the individual question; recruitment of those volunteers is the organizational one”.
• Annie Wilkinson on Medical Volunteer Profession Annie says that the main meta-task of a volunteer is to always be ready for the fact that their help is needed, the volunteer needs to be psychologically ready all the time.
• Volunteer Management Practices and Retention of Volunteers Volunteer management is the process of choosing and incorporating volunteers into an organization and ensuring that they perform.
• LIFEbeat: Recruiting and Training Volunteers The preventive interventions in the form of talks are supposed to help young people resist negative influences, the urge, and potential pressure to participate in risky behaviors.”Touring, Talking, and Taking Action” is the slogan that […]
• Volunteer Foundation (US-Washington-Olympia) Analysis The foundation will build a home for the elderly people in the society and provide care for them. The foundation will need to use both the in-house managers and external managers for efficient utilization of […]
• Non-Profit Organization: Donors and Volunteers If this method is adopted by a non-profit organization it will them regularly when making decisions to establish the donors and volunteers and prospects to retain and acquire, the donors and volunteers.
• Medical Lab Volunteer: Analysis of Numerous Data It discusses the history and future of the profession of medical laboratory technologists, determines the core activities of the placement and considers the entry into the profession and relevant regulations of the governing body.
• Social Volunteering With Autistic Adults Because I was able to see the courage and strength of people diagnosed with autism and how they value the time they have on this Earth, I recognized how important it was to be open […]
• Volunteer Group Event for Homeless Children Such children will be the pillars of the future generation and hence it becomes a duty for each of us to contribute in making the lives of deprived children better.
• Volunteers in Corporate America The spectrum of theoretical support for the benefits of this type of corporate philanthropy span identification, exchange, social capital, and commitment theories.
• Corporate Volunteer Programs and Their Value Volunteer work affords them the opportunity to indulge in expressing these passions as a way of increasing their general happiness and spiritual fulfillment.
• Corporate Volunteer Programs to Motivate Employees A number of advantages come benefits exist to the employees being used to these programs hence leading to the attraction of the scheme to the employee in action and those that would wish to participate.
• Corporate Volunteer Programs for Employees The employees will show expertise in their work therefore will be able to bring the special knowledge of the community back into the company thus will be helpful in strategizing or drawing a future plan […]
• Corporate Volunteer Programs: Benefits and Challenges Moreover, we should say that such phenomena as volunteer programs could be mutually advantageous, not only to the community but also to the company, which is of the utmost importance.
• How Safe Are Your Kids With Volunteer Coaches? The volunteer coach helps the younger boys with their sports, or he may, more or less automatically, come to the charge of a house or form team, or he may by the same token find […]
• Medical Rovers: Group of Volunteers for Medical Studies I am told that it will take a few months for the experiment results to be properly sorted out and analyzed.
• HR in Event Management: Role of Volunteers Kim and Cuskelly assume that the key purpose of the volunteers is to accompany the athletes, referees and guests of the championship, assist them in hotels, the airport and arena.
• How Volunteers Improve Teaching in Host Countries In order to enable local teachers to use my example in their practice, it would be useful to explain the rationale for specific actions and activities.
• Gender in Peace Corps Volunteers’ Work People from the local culture can be a valuable source of knowledge about gender norms and traditions that affect their society.
• Peace Corps Volunteer’s Behavior Adjustment Issues Integration occurs when a person generates sufficient knowledge about local culture and customs, which enables them to become a part of the school and the local community.
• Australian Volunteers International: Public Relations The intention of this proposal is to endorse a conservation volunteer campaign that is aimed at reducing the pollution levels in China, which is among the countries that have high levels of environmental degradation in […]
• Parent Volunteering in the Early Education Centers The essence of this practice is to make children aware of the colour palette and some of its peculiarities in the process of drawing and make sure all children learn to perform the task accurately […]
• Video Volunteers’ Interventions Against Poverty The project of allowing people from poor communities to produce movies plays a significant role in solving the problems encountered in diverse poor communities.
• Biochemistry and Volunteer Work In particular, I was the volunteer at ophthalmology center to work with patients and learn more about physiology and biochemistry of the eye and its parts.
• Volunteering: Troubled Teenagers and Healthy Community I would get experience in guiding young people and making them a part of something bigger. I would try to show the kids the other way out, and they would make me a better person.
• Volunteering Effects on Happiness Taking that into consideration, it is necessary to pay an increased attention to the effect that volunteering and all the people connected to it produce on representatives of one of the social groups whose opportunities […]
• Public Service and Volunteers in American Society There is also need for the people to volunteer serving and providing security especially in the overlooked regions of the country.
• Volunteering Phenomenon, Definitions and Benefits Volunteering is significant in making the lives of people better. Volunteering in a particular community brings many benefits to all residents of the area.
• Afya Hospital’s Recruitment of Volunteers One of the processes that need improvement in Afya Hospital is the management of the recruitment of volunteers. The third objective is to streamline the process of empowering volunteers to perform well in the hospital.
• Volunteers Recruitment and Managment Volunteers can be recruited using several methods, including making contacts to the local volunteer center, making use of existing volunteers in the organization, advertising the positions in the media, and announcing the vacancies in the […]
• Volunteering Portfolio: Methodist Church of Britain The volunteers also have something to gain from the act; a volunteer is able to view life from positive perspective, they are able to gain experience in their areas of careers, especially college students and […]
• The Culture of Volunteering in Saudi Arabia In most parts of the world, volunteering is often considered as one of the ways that people give back to the community without the need to provide material or financial aid.
• The Online University Broadcasting Station: Rewarding Volunteers These limitations are the major factors that have led to the recruitment of volunteers in the station. The provision of adequate resources to the volunteers facilitates the activities assigned to them by the organization.
• Ralston Valley Volunteer Fire Department Case The intended promotion should therefore convince these people that there is need to take part in the program and become volunteer firefighters for the common good of the community in times of emergencies.
• Volunteer Tourism: Factors and Contributions Contribution of volunteer tourism to the society According to Domingues and Nojd, most studies on volunteer tourism focus on the personal experiences of volunteer tourism.
• Volunteer Tourism Development According to Broad, the concept of volunteer tourism can only be understood better when it is comprehended from the perspective of the destination of the tourism; the local communities.
• Leadership, Reward Systems, and Training in Volunteering This paper will analyze the causes of understaffing and the importance of compatible leadership styles for efficient management and motivation of volunteers at the broadcasting station of the Online University.
• How We Can Attract Higher Quality Volunteers The reason behind this is connected to the concept of “quality staffing” which is defined by having volunteers that have the capacity to take the initiative to resolve issues, are able to follow instructions promptly, […]
• Volunteering at the Institute for Information Management The Institute for Information Management has worked tirelessly to gain relevance as one of the leading organisations that brings together users of information management systems and the providers of the enabling technologies in a forum […]
• The Development of Volunteer Tourism and Inter-Cultural Exchanges The growth of volunteer tourism product in the market place is as a result of other emerging organizations offering the same services, but indirectly digging from the pockets of the people in the societies.
• Ethical Dilemma: Participation in Volunteer Activities Even though Carolyn Clark was forced by her boss to volunteer her services to the charity program, she ought to realize that there is a need to help the needy in society.
• The Meta-Analyses of Volunteer Tutoring Programmes The review of meta-analysis seeks to establish the effectiveness of volunteer teaching programmes that aim to enhance the academic skills of student in public schools of the United States.
• Management in Agency Volunteer Services The government was ready to work side-by-side with the organization; therefore, AVS had to change its operation strategies to fit the new needs of the bureau.”International Year of Volunteers” The NGO also faced new challenges […]
• Volunteering in Leisure Sector The review shows that individuals are motivated due to the benefits that come with volunteering in the sector and the nature of the activity.
• Volunteer Management Process It safeguards the interests of the volunteers and fortifies the integrity of the organization. The organization should also provide activities that enable the volunteers to enjoy themselves and relieve the pressures of their tasks, for […]
• Volunteering for Horizon House: Homeless Neighbours’ Motivation to Find Jobs To understand and analyze the role of the center in changing the homeless neighbours’ life for better, it is appropriate to focus on the center’s assistance in employing neighbours and developing their job skills with […]
• When the Time to Grow Into a Professional Comes: Trying Out as a Volunteer in a Charity Shop. Experience and Lessons Learned History and background, intentions and hopes It the help of the SMART framework, the experience at the North London Hospice is going to be assessed.
• A Brave Black Regiment: History of the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry Regiment The black soldiers of the 54th and in other units played a crucial role in helping the union achieve victory in the war.
• How Does Fundraising Affect Volunteering?
• What Is the Social Impact of Volunteering?
• How Did Immigration Reduce Volunteering in the USA?
• Why Is Volunteering a Good Habit?
• How Can Volunteering Improve the Individual and Social Life of the Elderly?
• What Are Global Standards for Volunteering for Development?
• Can Volunteering Be Considered a Career?
• What Are the Main Principles of Volunteering?
• Does Volunteering Increase Happiness?
• What Is the Intrinsic Value of Volunteering?
• How Does Volunteering Impact the Organization?
• Why Is Volunteering Important to Society?
• Can Volunteering Help With Depression?
• Which Country Has the Most Volunteering?
• Does Volunteering Improve the Psychosocial Well-Being of Volunteers?
• What Is the Nature of Volunteering?
• Is Volunteering Good for Mental Health?
• How Did COVID-19 Change Volunteering?
• What Are the Ways in Which Volunteering Can Benefit the Life of a Volunteer?
• Why Is Empathy Important in Volunteering?
• How Does Volunteering Improve Well-Being?
• What Is the Philosophy of Volunteering?
• Is Volunteering a Form of Altruism?
• What Are the Pros and Cons of Volunteering?
• Why Is Volunteering in Developing Countries Important?
• Does Volunteering Play a Vital Role in the Country’s Development?
• How Can Volunteering Help Improve the Quality of Life of Others?
• What Is the Importance of Promoting the Culture of Volunteering?
• How Has Volunteering Changed the World?
• When Did International Volunteering Begin in Australia?
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Noriof Syracuse's entry into Varsity Tutor's May 2018 scholarship contest

Volunteerism: My Experience by Nori - May 2018 Scholarship Essay

Community service has become a major aspect of my life that has shaped me into who I am today. Volunteering is a way that I can give back to the world that does so much for me. There is no one way to define community service, because everyone has their own definition. However, it is not the definition itself that matters; it is what community service means to you. Is it the laughter of the special needs children when I help them bounce on the trampoline at cheer practice? Is it the squeals of the recreational cheer team that I coached when they win a competition? Maybe it is the joy on the faces of the veterans when they win a round of bingo. To me, volunteering and community service are all of these things. Volunteerism is a donation of my time in order to enhance someone’s life, even if it is only slightly. I view volunteering as a window through which I have an opportunity to change the lives of people, as well as my own. However, volunteering is not only about aiding others. It offers so much more. Through volunteering, I learned valuable community and social skills, and well as gained valuable work experience. I learned how to work with children, the elderly, and those with special needs. In addition, I learned what it is like to have a job and responsibilities. Volunteering has played in a significant role in the shaping of who I am today. Community service has been a resource for me to express myself and gain control of my life. After my father passed and my mother suffered a major stroke, leaving her permanently impaired, I sought an outlet, or an escape. I desperately needed a positive activity to take my mind off of the hardships I was experiencing. That outlet was community service. After a visit to my mother in the hospital, I would go to the public library and volunteer with their children’s activities. Seeing the overwhelming smiles of children after reading them a story made me forget about my problems at home. Volunteering has always been a way to bring joy into my life and to make my day (as well as someone else’s) a little bit better! My first significant volunteer experience was coaching a special needs cheerleading team. As a special needs coach, I had to control a group of special needs children. They struggled to do many things on their own, and looked to me to lead them. It is from this experience that I learned to be a leader. I volunteered as their coach during my freshman year of high school, and that is when my leadership skills truly began to develop. I was responsible for instructing the team on cheerleading and ensuring that they did everything safely. When they would go out and compete, they would bring tears to my eyes. I have never met such an inspiring group of kids, and it is from them that I learned that no matter what comes in my way, anything is possible if you give it your best effort, and that all hardships can be overcome. Coaching Team FIRE was not always an easy job. There were many meltdowns and times when I would want to give up. However, the joy that lit up their faces when times were good motivated me to keep going. From them, I learned perseverance. They would be elated when they successfully completed a forward roll, or learned a new dance. Every day, with their joy, they would remind me to enjoy the small things in life, and I will forever appreciate the endless giggles we’ve shared. That team made me proud and made me recognize how lucky I am to be healthy and well. They taught me that someone is always in need of help, and with my help, that person can succeed. Community service made me realize that I wanted to participate in a profession that helped people. At first, I was unsure of what I aspired to be when I grew up, but I knew one thing: I wanted to make an impact in people’s lives. I developed a love of science, and asked myself how I could help people with science. I decided that my goal was to become a forensic chemist, so I could help solve crimes. That way, if a crime was inflicted upon someone or a loved one, those people would receive justice thanks to me. I truly feel as if volunteering has helped me recognize what it is I aspire to be in the future. In addition, I have goals of participating in more volunteer work throughout my life. Volunteering is a significant way to make the world a better place and to grow as a person. I have impacted numerous lives through volunteering, and that is something that I take great pride in. Whether it was reading to children at the library, helping veterans play bingo, giving Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate, or anything else, I made someone’s day better, and that is an amazing feeling. In addition, I have developed numerous skills through volunteer work. I feel as if I have grown significantly through my community service. Community service has shaped me into a responsible leader. I am grateful for all that volunteering has done for me.

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Volunteering Essay

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Topic: From what frequent activity do you derive your joy? Why is this activity meaningful to you and how does it shape your perspective on life?

My Volunteer Experience

I personally enjoy helping people with other problem they have because I always try to picture myself in another person’s shoes. I don’t enjoy watching people suffer or being unable to do certain things because I feel that it is every human’s responsibility to help those who cannot help themselves. Knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s day by just providing my assistance is very important to me because I can help bring ease to people. Volunteering to help others is where I derive my greatest joy from.

In the past few years, my volunteering experiences has allowed me to gain new perspectives on life. For example, when I volunteered at my local hospital, Nassau University Medical Center, in the summer of 2014, I was able to realize why I was such a valuable asset to a hospital as a volunteer. When I originally signed up to volunteer at the hospital, it was because I had to meet a service requirement for my school’s honor society, the Scholar Service Institute. However, after my first week of volunteering, I started to develop a love for helping people.

I realized that in the hospital, volunteers are very much needed because a hospital is a community of people working together to ensure the lives of hundreds of people. In that community of the working people, you have people such as pharmacists, who work hard to make sure that every patient gets their correct medication. However, for the pharmacists to deliver that medication to the different floors of the hospital is very time-consuming, but as a volunteer I was able to ease their job by delivering the medications to all the different floors of the hospital. Reflecting on this experience still brings me joy because I was able to help imperative people of a hospital efficiently get their job done and help patients get better with proper medication.

Another experience of volunteering is the bake sale my friends and I organized on Valentine’s Day of 2016 for Make-A-Wish foundation. We held a bake sale at the parish of our school, St. Mary’s Church. I feel that this experience was one of the most joyful volunteering experiences I was able to have. I felt that my friends and I could aid children of terminal diseases such as Lymphoma by helping them to experience some joy in their life. With the help of the funds of the $334 we raised at our bake sale, Make-A-Wish was able to grant the wishes of these ill children.

Whenever I volunteer, I never think of the personal benefits I will get. I always consider how others will benefit from my assistance. The pleasure of knowing that my assistance in the lives of others can make a difference is all the convincing I need to get out and volunteer.

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Volunteering / A Reflection on My Volunteer Experience

A Reflection on My Volunteer Experience

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• Topic: Personal Experience , Strategy , Volunteering

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Volunteerism: Miracles in Action

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