RESEARCH STARTER

Volunteerism in College

Volunteerism in college refers to the engagement of students in unpaid work aimed at benefiting communities, gaining experience, and enhancing personal skills. This practice has deep historical roots, with significant volunteer organizations emerging in the 1800s, primarily linked to religious groups. For college students, volunteering can serve multiple purposes, including professional networking, skill development, and enhancing applications for scholarships and further education. Many colleges actively facilitate volunteer opportunities and may offer academic credit or financial incentives for student involvement.

While volunteerism is often viewed positively as a form of public service, it faces criticism regarding its motivations, particularly when activities are pursued mainly for personal gain, such as enhancing college applications. "Volunteer tourism," where individuals travel abroad to participate in volunteer projects, is often scrutinized for its limited impact compared to long-term local service initiatives. Despite declining volunteer rates in recent years, the practice remains an important avenue for social engagement and community support, addressing critical social issues like poverty and homelessness while fostering a sense of community and social awareness among students.

Full Article

Volunteering is the donation of work or effort toward a goal without the expectation of compensation. Volunteers may choose to donate their time or effort for the benefit of others or for nonmonetary benefits such as training, learning new skills, or career and educational advancement. Historically, volunteering has been associated with spiritual or religious organizations that have integrated charity and community involvement into their doctrine. In addition, volunteering has historically been seen as a youth activity, primarily because young individuals without employment may have more time to devote to volunteer activities.

Among college and precollege students, volunteering has historically been seen as a way to gain work experience and develop skills that may make an individual more attractive to prospective employers or to help prepare for further educational opportunities. A number of colleges help students find volunteer opportunities and may reward student involvement with scholarships and work-study chances.

Background

The first large-scale volunteer organizations in Europe and the United States emerged in the 1800s, including the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), which first appeared in the United States in 1851, and the Salvation Army, which started in 1865. Most of the early volunteer organizations were Christian-oriented, but by the early 1900s, there were a number of prominent secular volunteer organizations providing aid and volunteer activities to benefit the poor, ill, and disadvantaged.

The Corporation for National and Community Service recorded a peak in American volunteerism (for the period from 1974 to 2005) in 2004, at which time, 31.2 percent of college-age students and 28.4 percent of precollege-age teenagers were involved in some type of volunteer activity. In 2010, 26.1 percent of college students volunteered. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report released in 2024, volunteer rates across the United States declined from 2012 to 2022, from 5.8 percent to 4.2 percent. However, the number of people volunteering was still high, and a US Census report shows that 2023–24 rates were approaching pre-pandemic levels. According to the BLS, on any given day in 2022, 11 million people volunteered in some way. Of these people, 4.7 million volunteered in administrative and support activities, such as computer use and fundraising; 3.2 million volunteered in social service and care activities, such as preparing food and collecting clothing.

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering provides a broad range of benefits to students, including learning new skills, networking and making contacts within the community, and the opportunity to qualify for scholarships and employment opportunities. Many universities in the United States offer college credit for students who volunteer or intern at various institutions, though these programs do not require charitable volunteer activities. In addition, volunteer activities are typically promoted as a way to impress admissions officers when applying to college or graduate programs.

In a 2011 article in the New York Times, journalist Pamela Paul described volunteer strategies seen as most effective in helping students gain admission to college or earn scholarships. According to interviews with admission board members, school officials tend to be more impressed by long-term dedicated service than by activities in which students spend a year, season, or shorter period volunteering abroad, sometimes called "volunteer tourism." Volunteering abroad for a semester or more is increasingly seen as an upper-class activity that does not connote integrity in the same way that local or longer-term volunteer activities do. Admissions specialists reported being able to tell the difference between students whose volunteer activities reveal a passion for service and outreach from those whose volunteer activities are strategies for advancement.

A number of scholarship opportunities are available for students who spent time in volunteer activities. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Program, which takes into account any volunteer activity conducted in the year prior to a student’s application and usually offers scholarships of $2,500. According to Scholarships.com in 2024, the Ron Brown Scholar Program is available to academically gifted African Americans who have a commitment to community service. The program offers a $40,000 scholarship. The Carson College Fund offers $1,000 to students in grades 4 to 11 who excel in school and serve their communities.

According to the University of California, San Diego, website, the benefits of volunteering also include allowing students to try new activities and potentially test career options. In addition, volunteering brings people together and, therefore, helps students gain contacts that can be useful in later career growth. Volunteers also learn about the function and politics of governmental and community-based organizations that can help them develop a deeper understanding of society. Studies also show that volunteering has positive effects on health, with a 2018 report showing that those who regularly volunteer had an 8.5 percent increase in mental health and a 9 percent increase in physical health. In addition to personal benefits, volunteer programs also provide a number of important benefits in terms of outreach and community service. Many college-student-oriented volunteer programs in the United States address pressing social issues such as homelessness, poverty, and youth literacy.

Impact

While volunteerism is generally considered an altruistic example of public service, critics have argued that the emphasis on volunteering in scholarships and college admissions encourages volunteering as a strategy to accrue personal benefits rather than one that emphasizes social, societal, and cultural benefits. In particular, criticism has been levied against "volunteer tourism," in which teenagers, college students, and adults travel to desirable international locations while donating time to public-service projects. Critics contend that this type of tourism is expensive and not actually community service.

In addition, some research has suggested that volunteer programs, especially short-term student volunteer activities, have less impact on communities and at-risk groups than investing in the creation of local, permanent service organizations. This criticism has been applied to "medical volunteerism" abroad, where short-term outreach programs have significant impact but far less than would be gained by encouraging volunteers to form and manage domestically run medical-outreach facilities. Despite the criticism and the general decline in participation, volunteerism is still seen as a necessary social endeavor and a beneficial educational opportunity.


Bibliography

Brumble, Melody. "Fewer College Students Volunteer Their Time." USA Today. Gannett, 22 Jan. 2012. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

Carlevatti, Jen. "How Being a College Volunteer Supports More Than the Community." University of South Florida, 5 Mar. 2025, admissions.usf.edu/blog/how-being-a-college-volunteer-supports-more-than-the-community. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. 

"College Admissions: Volunteer Service That Gets You into College." Huffington Post, 5 Dec. 2011, www.huffpost.com/entry/college-admissions-volunt_n_1129917. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

"Community Service Can Pay Off with College Scholarships." US News. US News & World Report, 25 Apr. 2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

"Community Service: Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer." UCSD. University of California, San Diego, 2014. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

Davis, Jessica. "School Enrollment and Work Status: 2011." American Community Survey Briefs. US Census Bureau, Oct. 2012. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

"Economic News Release: Volunteering in the United States, 2013." Bureau of Labor Statistics. US Dept. of Labor, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
Jones, Jeffrey, M. "Postsecondary Education Linked to Volunteerism, Better Health." Gallup, 30 Aug. 2023, news.gallup.com/poll/510254/postsecondary-education-linked-volunteerism-better-health.aspx. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Paul, Pamela. "Does Helping Out Help You?" New York Times. New York Times, 7 Jan. 2011, www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/education/09communityservice-t.html. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Schlachter, Laura Hanson, and Tim Marshall. "U.S. Volunteerism Rebounding After COVID-19 Pandemic." United States Census Bureau, 19 Nov. 2024, www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/11/civic-engagement-and-volunteerism.html. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

"TED: The Economics Daily." US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/more-than-11-million-people-volunteered-on-an-average-day-in-2022.htm. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Tugend, Alina. "The Benefits of Volunteerism, if the Service Is Real." New York Times. New York Times, 30 July 2010. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

"Volunteer Growth in America: A Review of Trends since 1974." National Service. Corporation for National & Community Service, Dec. 2006. PDF file.

Full Article

Volunteering is the donation of work or effort toward a goal without the expectation of compensation. Volunteers may choose to donate their time or effort for the benefit of others or for nonmonetary benefits such as training, learning new skills, or career and educational advancement. Historically, volunteering has been associated with spiritual or religious organizations that have integrated charity and community involvement into their doctrine. In addition, volunteering has historically been seen as a youth activity, primarily because young individuals without employment may have more time to devote to volunteer activities.

Among college and precollege students, volunteering has historically been seen as a way to gain work experience and develop skills that may make an individual more attractive to prospective employers or to help prepare for further educational opportunities. A number of colleges help students find volunteer opportunities and may reward student involvement with scholarships and work-study chances.

Background

The first large-scale volunteer organizations in Europe and the United States emerged in the 1800s, including the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), which first appeared in the United States in 1851, and the Salvation Army, which started in 1865. Most of the early volunteer organizations were Christian-oriented, but by the early 1900s, there were a number of prominent secular volunteer organizations providing aid and volunteer activities to benefit the poor, ill, and disadvantaged.

The Corporation for National and Community Service recorded a peak in American volunteerism (for the period from 1974 to 2005) in 2004, at which time, 31.2 percent of college-age students and 28.4 percent of precollege-age teenagers were involved in some type of volunteer activity. In 2010, 26.1 percent of college students volunteered. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report released in 2024, volunteer rates across the United States declined from 2012 to 2022, from 5.8 percent to 4.2 percent. However, the number of people volunteering was still high, and a US Census report shows that 2023–24 rates were approaching pre-pandemic levels. According to the BLS, on any given day in 2022, 11 million people volunteered in some way. Of these people, 4.7 million volunteered in administrative and support activities, such as computer use and fundraising; 3.2 million volunteered in social service and care activities, such as preparing food and collecting clothing.

Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering provides a broad range of benefits to students, including learning new skills, networking and making contacts within the community, and the opportunity to qualify for scholarships and employment opportunities. Many universities in the United States offer college credit for students who volunteer or intern at various institutions, though these programs do not require charitable volunteer activities. In addition, volunteer activities are typically promoted as a way to impress admissions officers when applying to college or graduate programs.

In a 2011 article in the New York Times, journalist Pamela Paul described volunteer strategies seen as most effective in helping students gain admission to college or earn scholarships. According to interviews with admission board members, school officials tend to be more impressed by long-term dedicated service than by activities in which students spend a year, season, or shorter period volunteering abroad, sometimes called "volunteer tourism." Volunteering abroad for a semester or more is increasingly seen as an upper-class activity that does not connote integrity in the same way that local or longer-term volunteer activities do. Admissions specialists reported being able to tell the difference between students whose volunteer activities reveal a passion for service and outreach from those whose volunteer activities are strategies for advancement.

A number of scholarship opportunities are available for students who spent time in volunteer activities. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Program, which takes into account any volunteer activity conducted in the year prior to a student’s application and usually offers scholarships of $2,500. According to Scholarships.com in 2024, the Ron Brown Scholar Program is available to academically gifted African Americans who have a commitment to community service. The program offers a $40,000 scholarship. The Carson College Fund offers $1,000 to students in grades 4 to 11 who excel in school and serve their communities.

According to the University of California, San Diego, website, the benefits of volunteering also include allowing students to try new activities and potentially test career options. In addition, volunteering brings people together and, therefore, helps students gain contacts that can be useful in later career growth. Volunteers also learn about the function and politics of governmental and community-based organizations that can help them develop a deeper understanding of society. Studies also show that volunteering has positive effects on health, with a 2018 report showing that those who regularly volunteer had an 8.5 percent increase in mental health and a 9 percent increase in physical health. In addition to personal benefits, volunteer programs also provide a number of important benefits in terms of outreach and community service. Many college-student-oriented volunteer programs in the United States address pressing social issues such as homelessness, poverty, and youth literacy.

Impact

While volunteerism is generally considered an altruistic example of public service, critics have argued that the emphasis on volunteering in scholarships and college admissions encourages volunteering as a strategy to accrue personal benefits rather than one that emphasizes social, societal, and cultural benefits. In particular, criticism has been levied against "volunteer tourism," in which teenagers, college students, and adults travel to desirable international locations while donating time to public-service projects. Critics contend that this type of tourism is expensive and not actually community service.

In addition, some research has suggested that volunteer programs, especially short-term student volunteer activities, have less impact on communities and at-risk groups than investing in the creation of local, permanent service organizations. This criticism has been applied to "medical volunteerism" abroad, where short-term outreach programs have significant impact but far less than would be gained by encouraging volunteers to form and manage domestically run medical-outreach facilities. Despite the criticism and the general decline in participation, volunteerism is still seen as a necessary social endeavor and a beneficial educational opportunity.


Bibliography

Brumble, Melody. "Fewer College Students Volunteer Their Time." USA Today. Gannett, 22 Jan. 2012. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

Carlevatti, Jen. "How Being a College Volunteer Supports More Than the Community." University of South Florida, 5 Mar. 2025, admissions.usf.edu/blog/how-being-a-college-volunteer-supports-more-than-the-community. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. 

"College Admissions: Volunteer Service That Gets You into College." Huffington Post, 5 Dec. 2011, www.huffpost.com/entry/college-admissions-volunt_n_1129917. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

"Community Service Can Pay Off with College Scholarships." US News. US News & World Report, 25 Apr. 2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

"Community Service: Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer." UCSD. University of California, San Diego, 2014. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

Davis, Jessica. "School Enrollment and Work Status: 2011." American Community Survey Briefs. US Census Bureau, Oct. 2012. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

"Economic News Release: Volunteering in the United States, 2013." Bureau of Labor Statistics. US Dept. of Labor, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.
Jones, Jeffrey, M. "Postsecondary Education Linked to Volunteerism, Better Health." Gallup, 30 Aug. 2023, news.gallup.com/poll/510254/postsecondary-education-linked-volunteerism-better-health.aspx. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Paul, Pamela. "Does Helping Out Help You?" New York Times. New York Times, 7 Jan. 2011, www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/education/09communityservice-t.html. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Schlachter, Laura Hanson, and Tim Marshall. "U.S. Volunteerism Rebounding After COVID-19 Pandemic." United States Census Bureau, 19 Nov. 2024, www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/11/civic-engagement-and-volunteerism.html. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

"TED: The Economics Daily." US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24 Apr. 2024, www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/more-than-11-million-people-volunteered-on-an-average-day-in-2022.htm. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Tugend, Alina. "The Benefits of Volunteerism, if the Service Is Real." New York Times. New York Times, 30 July 2010. Web. 8 Dec. 2014.

"Volunteer Growth in America: A Review of Trends since 1974." National Service. Corporation for National & Community Service, Dec. 2006. PDF file.

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