Students contribute 66,000 hours of volunteer work to local communities
UNIVERSITY of Limerick students have contributed almost 66,000 hours of volunteer work in their local communities over the past year.
985 UL students were recognised for their volunteer work with charity and community organisations as part of the annual President’s Volunteer Awards (PVA).
Linda Fitzgerald, Student Volunteering and PVA Manager, acknowledged the ‘profound impact’ the students’ volunteering has had on their communities.
“The extraordinary commitment shown by almost 1,000 UL students to volunteering and civic engagement is a tremendous achievement and one that deserves to be celebrated,” said Ms Fitzgerald.
“They represent the very best of University of Limerick, demonstrating that when students choose to give their time and talents, they have the power to create lasting positive change.”
Aaron Fox, an international student and Elle Murphy, a third-year Law and Accounting student both took part in the recent PVA.
Mr Fox completed his PVA volunteering chiefly with the Order of Malta, the Centre for Family Literacy, and Access Campus, and said he found the experience to be ‘incredibly rewarding’.
“I’m extremely grateful for the experiences I’ve had through volunteering this past year. The PVA has been a wonderful way to reflect on these experiences and recognise the value of giving back to the community,” he expressed.
Ms Murphy said her PVA experience allowed her to “appreciate the impact that volunteering can have on both individuals and the wider community.”
“I have always believed that volunteering is a great way to make a positive difference in other people’s lives, no matter how big or small that contribution might be,” she said.
Now in its sixteenth year, and marking a decade of partnership with Student Volunteer Ireland, UL PVA recognises students who demonstrate a commitment to volunteering, both on and off campus, throughout the academic year.
Each student is presented with a parchment in recognition of their time spent volunteering with local organisations, with their dedication to civic engagement also formally recognised on their academic transcript.
Addressing this year’s UL PVA student cohort, UL President Professor Shane Kilcommins said, “What inspires me most about the President’s Volunteer Awards is not the scale of the achievement, impressive though it is, but the spirit behind it and the stories that fuel that energy.”
“The commitment shown by these students embodies the values of generosity, empathy and civic responsibility that are at the heart of University of Limerick.”