Thank You, CPS, for Providing Me a New Perspective of the World
Annette Aguilera-Gonzalez on an Immersion Project in the Dominican Republic (Photo provided)
By Annette Aguilera-Gonzalez, Contributing Writer
One of the main reasons I selected Gettysburg College was the degree to which students were engaged in service. My junior year of high school, the Center for Public Service (CPS) won a Presidential Award for General Community Service in the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Thrilled by the idea that I would be able to continue building on my passion for service at Gettysburg College while receiving an amazing education made my college decision extremely easy. I could not wait to get on campus and participate in Gettysburg Is Giving (GIV) Day.
“I would help my little with fractions but her optimism and grit were something I wanted to emulate.” – Annette Aguilera-Gonzalez ’18
After volunteering at Sherfy Farm on GIV Day, I explored the other volunteer opportunities CPS had to offer. I joined Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). In my first year of being a volunteer, my little taught me a lot. I started to view our relationship more as a partnership, I would help my little with fractions but her optimism and grit were something I wanted to emulate. I volunteered with BBBS for one more year before I decided to work more closely with the migrant community.
Aguilera-Gonzalez on an Immersion Project in the Dominican Republic (Photo provided)
As a child of immigrants, I have always felt extremely connected to this work. I started to volunteer as a tutor for 21st Century PASOS. There I was able to learn more about how much I loved helping people discover their potential. I would have never been able to have this experience without the amazing partnerships that CPS has with the Gettysburg community.
As my experience at Gettysburg is coming to an end, I have been reflecting a lot and I cannot imagine my four years without CPS. This is only one part over everything CPS has offered me. Thanks to CPS I have been on three immersion projects (March makes four) through which I have visited three countries.
Stay tuned to learn more about the way in which CPS has changed my life!
This is the first installment of a multi-part series on the Center for Public Service at Gettysburg College.
