Indiana Campus Compact fellowship awarded to IU Bloomington’s VSB president

By Ryan Piurek

Galvan, a senior majoring in psychology, received one of five Student Citizen Fellowships awarded to students enrolled in ICC member colleges and universities. Established in 1993, ICC is a consortium of 30 colleges and universities across the state that supports the integration of community service into campus culture. IU is one of the organization's six charter members.

The fellowships are designed to support students who are involved in public works in identifying problems they want to address and leading others in forming solutions.

For more than 30 years, the VSB, a student-run organization, has linked student resources with community needs.

"We found Natalia's efforts with the Volunteer Students Bureau to be so wonderful, because the widespread work she's doing helps get many other students involved in the community," said Keri Hunter, assistant director for student development at ICC. "We were attracted by her willingness to reach out to her peers to find ways to help the community."

In her application, Galvan said she planned to use the grant to create informational packets to distribute during campus "Welcome Week" and orientation, design publicity material for upcoming events, send out mailings to students, help cover the organization's room rental fee, and purchase an inexpensive office camera.

"Natalia is an incredible student leader who has worked so hard to make the Volunteer Students Bureau a tremendous resource for students looking to get involved with the community," said Darrell Ann Stone, IU associate director of student activities and the bureau's adviser. "She's a terrific collaborator and the perfect person to receive this award."

Toward the close of their fellowship year, student citizen fellows will be asked to write reflective essays on their experiences, which will be published on the ICC Web site.

http://www.indiana.edu/~iuvolbur/

http://www.indianacampuscompact.org