Spring is finally here and might be here to stay (fingers crossed). If you also are here to stay for a while, I want to encourage you to get involved with the greater Laramie community and not only the University of Wyoming. As a land grant university, it is our purpose to spread the knowledge we obtain from academics to the larger community that surrounds us. Laramie is a wonderful community that supports the University of Wyoming and College of Agriculture heavily and we should work to help them in any way possible as well.
One of the easiest ways to do this is for students to get involved in programs/organizations throughout the community that relate to their major. I am currently involved with the Laramie Soup Kitchen, both as a volunteer and as a board member. This position has given me many opportunities to make personal connections with other community members and organizations and has given me insight into how professional organizations are run. I work in the soup kitchen, prepping and cleaning up meals as well as present at events about the services the Laramie Soup Kitchen offers and about how you can become a volunteer. Getting involved with the community can give you hands on experience in your field in a real-life setting. That kind of experience is priceless when applying for scholarships, internships, and jobs in the future. Therefore it is a win-win situation; the community benefits from your service, and you receive valuable and practical experience in your field.
An easy way to start is by contacting the UW extension office or going to their website at: http://www.uwyo.edu/uwe/programs/ . Here you can choose your area of interest and find out how to contribute to that specific program’s mission.
Hope to see you out in the community soon!
Katie Jacobs