Students who attended private high schools may be familiar with the mandatory service hours required for graduation and the difficulty some students may have meeting them.
A new study from Ohio State University about the changes in service work during a student’s transition from high school and college confirmed many students’ suspicion that these mandatory hours may deter long-time community service involvement.
Helen Marks, an associate professor at Ohio State University, and Susan Jones, an assistant professor at Ohio State University, said the purpose of the study is to investigate the changes in volunteerism as students transition from high school to college.
Marks said her work with high school community service and service learning pushed her to do this study.
She said many of the results of the survey confirmed her expectations of patterns in service work at the college level.
One finding that Marks said surprised her was the effect of social norms on students’ involvement.
“In a way, where high school norms were strong for service, kids tried to fit in and did community service,” she said. “In college, the same press or norms or culture wasn’t there, so many kids quit.”
Almost half of the students surveyed reported performing community service in college.
The study said this finding “suggests that college may open the door to involvement for many students.”
Leah Lemoine, an environmental engineering junior, said she believes it is easier to get involved in volunteer work during college.
“There are a ton of organizations to choose from, as opposed to high school where it was like ‘You can come to the nursing home or serve food at the soup kitchen’ and you were not given any choices,” she said.
She said the people involved in college volunteering are generally more excited because they are not being forced into doing the service work.
“Their excitement and enthusiasm is contagious,” Lemoine said.
More than half of students who do volunteer work began to do service in college, but 47 percent sustained their involvement in volunteer activities.
Breland Deano, an education sophomore, said she had required service hours at her high school, but she already was involved in volunteer work.
She has carried that on into college, working as the assistant philanthropy chairman for Delta Delta Delta sorority and serving the Wesley Foundation.
“Sometimes it’s hard to make the time,” Deano said. “At LSU there are a lot more volunteer opportunities available through the various campus organizations, so that makes it a little bit easier.”
The study found that students who quit volunteering in college were often the ones who were forced to perform service their senior year of high school.
Gary Vanverancken, a marketing sophomore, was required to do almost 100 service hours during his high school career. He is no longer involved in volunteer work.
“I was pissed that they made us do it,” Vanverancken said.
He said he now has a different view of volunteer work, but is too busy with work to get involved.
“I think it gives you a whole new appreciation for things,” he said.
Students who were encouraged instead of required to do service senior year often continued their efforts into college.
Emily Courtney, an English sophomore, has continued her involvement in Habitat for Humanity since she was in high school, but she has never been required to volunteer.
“I just feel reassured that I am spending my time in a worthy cause,” she said.
Courtney found a cause she has a passion for and has devoted her free time to helping others through Habitat for Humanity.
“Habitat is just an incredible example of the concrete evidence that other people can give to people in need of a fresh start,” she said.
A large number of students — 39 percent — had not volunteered in high school or college.
The study also found that volunteers felt more optimistic about their role in the community as an adult.
Jennifer Falgout, an education junior, said she volunteers as part of a requirement for her sorority, Delta Gamma.
“I have to, but at the same time, I enjoy it,” she said. “It makes me feel good.”
The study revealed that dropping service after high school was often a result of student loans by students.
The study used previous information found on high school students’ volunteer activities.
The information collected in the survey represents 6,491 students from diverse backgrounds across the nation.