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Increasing Community Service Engagement at American University

Meaghan Donahue, Jeffrey Guzman,

Olivia Salama, Emma Schwartz

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How can we successfully get more American University students to participate in community service projects throughout Washington, D.C.?

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Our Project

What facets are inhibiting students from getting involved?
How can we make it easier for for students to get involved?
How can APO increase membership?

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Target Audience

American University students who…

...Have experience with community service initiatives
...Are driven by personal values and professional career goals.

Meaghan

Campaign Objectives:

Target Audience Notes (From Previous Presentation):

As far as American University students, our research found that women are more likely to volunteer than men, so we’re looking for women ages 18-23. We found that science and art majors are also more likely volunteer than other majors. Lastly, with American University students we want women who are interested in professional greek life to hopefully introduce them to APO.

We also found that students who volunteered in high school are much more likely to volunteer in college so we are looking for people with previous volunteer experience.

Lastly, research showed that students volunteer for two main reasons: value and career goals. An example of volunteering based on values would be “first quote” and an example of volunteering for career goals would be “second quote”. With this information we are going to target different schools within AU such as Kogod, SOC, SPA

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Increase AU student awareness of APO and its mission

Increase student willingness to volunteer with off-campus non profit orgs

Increase students’ positive perceptions about the benefits of community service volunteering

Increase student engagement with APO’s social media outlets

Increase membership in APO

Campaign Objectives

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Research Methodology

Survey research
Non Probability convenience sample
Research started Oct 30th and ended Nov 26th
Participants were reached via:

Blackboard Facebook GroupMe iMessage In-Person

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Participant Overview

Mostly women respondents (84%)
Majority of respondents were upperclassmen → only 14% were Freshman and Sophomores
Good variety of respondents from different schools → 10% Kogod, 25% SOC, 32% CAS, 30% SPA, 12% SIS
68% currently have a job
70% have had internships
31% live on campus

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Research Questions

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Screening RQ

Warm Up RQ

Core RQ

Demographic RQ

Undergrad AU student?
18 years of age?

Participation in community service?
Quality of participation?

Gender?
Academic year & school?
Campus involvement?
Intern/work?
Campus housing?

Positives about service?
Barriers to service?
Interest in service?
Comfort with service?
Important issues?
Where AU can help?
Familiarity with…

Alpha Phi Omega
American University CCES

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Findings and Results

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What benefits, if any, do you see in volunteer community service? (Select all that apply)

Helping others

Feeling good about myself

Gaining experience for resume

Advocating for political issues important to me

Providing services that align with my faith

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Which of the following, if any, prevent you from engaging in volunteer community service? (Select all that apply)

Time constraints

Difficulty finding opportunities

Financial constraints

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With what certainty do you agree with the following statement: “I think AU makes it easy for students to get involved with the community”?

Agree

Somewhat Agree

Neither Agree nor Disagree

Somewhat Disagree

Disagree

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Rank the order of issues that interest you the most.

Education

HIV/AIDS

Healthcare

Poverty

Homelessness

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AU Center for Community Engagement & Service

Alpha Phi Omega

Heard about the AU CCES

Visited the AU CCES

Heard about Alpha Phi Omega

Knew Alpha Phi Omega is a service frat

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Are you involved with any of the following types of campus organizations?

Greek Life

Professional Fraternities

Athletics

Cultural

Religious

Groups

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Recommendations

Work with students’ schedules
Consider students’ interests
Establish partnerships around campus
Messaging about what you give and what you get
Social Media!
Bring the opportunities to students

Work with students’ schedules (Olivia)

Messaging should let people know that it is possible to have a busy schedule and still be able to do community service.
Find more weekend volunteer service opportunities.

Considers students’ interests (Jeffrey)

Let people offer service projects ideas/groups and mold self around their interests.
Volunteer service opportunities related to education and poverty are most popular
Seek out volunteer service opportunities that are political or relate to social activism

Establish partnerships around campus (Olivia)

AU CCES
Social/professional fraternities

Messaging about what you give and what you get (Jeffrey)

Career - partner with AU Career Center and have them push volunteer service opportunities
Messaging should promote the idea that volunteer service opportunity is “feel good”, allows you to “help” and can be a launch into your “career”

Social media! (Olivia)

Both APO and AU CCES should utilize social media more

Bring the opportunities to students (Jeffrey)

Partner with AU CCES to host a semesterly service fair
Go into classes of majors most likely to be involved and present
Promote the Eagle Fund for students who have financial struggles