More College Student Volunteering

An article published in 2006 in the Chronicle of Higher Education states that more college students are volunteering.

The corporation for National and Community service "found that 3.3 million college students, or 30 percent of all students ages 16 to 24 at American colleges, had donated their time to various causes in 2005, compared with 2.7 million, or 28 percent of all students, in 2002."

In a three-year period, the number of 16-24-year old college attendees rose only 8 percent over the same three year period. There was a 20-percent rise in the number of college-student volunteers from 2002-2005.

In any case, who are these college volunteers? One can concise the population of volunteers into age categories, including college students. These volunteers are our neighbors, friends, relatives, and co-workers. What makes this adult have the desire to volunteer?

I too have pondered the thought of extensive volunteer-ism. While a student at the University of Central Florida I volunteer at the Orange County Regional History Center in downtown Orlando. However I do not feel that this is the most one can do, primarily I don't think that my time and effort ends in Orlando.

For the past five months I have pondered joining the Peace Corps and even more recently the Ameicorps.

Someone asked me recently why I wanted to do this. The answer? My mind went blank.
While the article, More College Students are Volunteering, does not state why the increase in volunteering is primarily around college aged students - those 16 to 24-year-olds. There is a significant difference that even one can make in their lifetime.