For Beth Wierzbieniec '99, director of the Big
Brothers/Big Sisters summer camp and new Student Forum
president, volunteering is a way of life.
“I've always been involved in
volunteer organizations from the time that I was a Girl
Scout,” she says. “Being a volunteer has always
been a part of my life. I credit my parents for being so
involved in their community and setting an example.”
Wierzbieniec became involved in Big
Brothers/Big Sisters at the beginning of her freshman
year and has been with her little sister, Ashley, since
then. “I love Ashley. I've seen her grow a lot over
the last couple of years and that's been very rewarding.
She's become a lot more receptive to doing new
things.”
So when Wierzbieniec began her
internship in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters office in
Schenectady and began to hear about a summer camp for
Union “Littles,” she immediately thought of
Ashley and decided to get involved. “I really pushed
to get the grant done so that we would have the
opportunity to do the camp,” she says.
The camp wasn't the only thing
Wierzbieniec did this summer. She also completed summer
research with Professor Douglass Klein in the Economics
Department, preparing a database for a study on
efficiency in rural hospitals.
“There was definitely a difference
between my mornings and afternoons, but because I had
variety in my schedule I was able to achieve a great
balance where I enjoyed everything I was doing,” she
says.
Wierzbieniec thrives on being busy and
contributing to the community Ä something that is sure
to continue in her final year as she takes over as
president of the Student Forum.
“I feel that I have been able to
balance my time so that I can juggle different hats and
keep them all in the air,” she says. “It really
frustrates me when people tell me that they don't have
time to do things. I know from experience that you can
find time Ä it's just a matter of whether you want to or
not.”