Student Profiles

Erin Casey '10

H.O.P.E. Trips, Into the Streets, Girl Scouts, Haley House, Urban Plunge -- my life at Stonehill is truly defined by service. For a day to pass without my partaking in some form of volunteering is a rarity. The opportunities available to me here at Stonehill are incredible, and have helped guide me to where I am today.

Taking the Urban Plunge

The most influential volunteer experience I have had since coming to Stonehill was a weekend-long Urban Plunge that I partook in. I traveled to Boston with five other students to Haley House Soup Kitchen. All we were told prior to our departure was that we would leave this weekend with a greater appreciation for the homeless; aside from that we knew nothing.

The experience was amazing and truly changed my life. For three days we were live-in volunteers: cooking, cleaning, and gaining a true understanding of what it meant to be homeless. We visited local soup kitchens, explored Boston from the perspective of a homeless individual, and most importantly, had the opportunity to volunteer at Haley House.

We cooked several meals for the patrons, and then were able to sit and dine with them. The conversations I had with these men were fascinating; they were the most intelligent people. They even invited me to play basketball with them after the meal! I joined them for an afternoon of fun, alongside some of the other volunteers.

Inspired to Pursue a Career in Social Work

I left the weekend with a new outlook, inspired to implement change in the world. My few days at Haley House opened my eyes to an entirely new career choice, and it is for this reason that I am planning to pursue a graduate degree in social work.

Service is no longer a mere activity for me, it is a way of life, and I owe this all to the volunteer opportunities available at Stonehill.

Erin is from North Attleboro, MA.