Washington & Jefferson College

Working with Big Brothers Big Sisters

W&J: Serving the Community since 1781

Washington & Jefferson College, though small, thinks big when it comes to giving back to the community. Students at W&J are really involved with volunteering in the city of Washington.

We volunteer by hosting events on campus, by physically reaching out to the community to help people, and by joining some of the more popular volunteer groups: G.I.V.E., Lions Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and Alpha Phi Omega (a service fraternity). Out of these programs, all but Big Brothers Big Sisters of America are run by students.

I am a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters and I find it to be incredibly rewarding. This program is a great resource for the children as well because they can get extra care and attention that they might not be receiving at home. They also get the benefits of a mentor who believes in them and who encourages their success.

I meet with my assigned “little sister” once a week for an hour and during our times together, we talk, do arts and crafts, play outside, and work on school assignments. The best part of this program is seeing the huge smile my little sister gets every week when I pick her up from the lunch room to come meet with me.

I think the same holds true for all students here; it’s the extreme gratitude of the community at large that motivates students to keep on giving.

Alexandra Tropea
W&J Class of 2011