Idaho State University public relations students gain real-world experience while increasing Idaho volunteer efforts

The campaign will emphasize the message that people who volunteer are 27 percent more likely to find employment and will run the spring 2016 semester targeting ISU students.

“The campaign these students have organized is identical to what professionals would create out in the field,” said Karen Hartman, an assistant professor in the communication, media, and persuasion department at ISU. “The students are very excited and have embraced this challenge head on.”

The students at ISU will co-host a volunteer event and club competition during their Student Activities Board’s Service Saturday event on April 16 at 8:30 a.m. at the Bengal Café in the Pond Student Union. Organizers will provide giveaways and educational materials at their booth.

The Student Activities Board will provide free breakfast before departing at 9 a.m. for clean-up efforts at various locations, including Zoo Idaho and Old Town Pocatello. During breakfast, students will host an informative booth displaying Volunteer to Career materials. The ISU club with the most volunteers will secure a $200 cash prize for their club’s operating expenses. Second place will receive $100 and third place will receive $50.

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, Idaho ranked second in the nation in volunteering two years in a row with 35.8 percent of the population volunteering in 2014. The report also showed only one in five people age 18 to 24 volunteered in 2014, and Serve Idaho is working to increase that statistic.

A survey of 200 ISU students of varying class levels showed 80 percent are unaware that students who volunteer are 27 percent more likely to find employment. However, 75 percent of those students are more inclined to volunteer upon learning it benefitted their career development.

The University of Idaho, Boise State University and ISU are running separate campaigns targeting their own campus. Their efforts are mutually concentrated on increasing traffic to the Serve Idaho website, to find volunteer opportunities and increasing volunteer activity by college students. ISU and BSU will present their campaign results at the state capitol on May 5 to Lt. Governor Brad Little and Kenneth Edmunds, director of the Idaho Department of Labor.

###

Idaho State University, a Carnegie-classified doctoral research and teaching institution founded in 1901, attracts students from around the world to its Idaho campuses. ISU offers access to high-quality education in more than 250 programs.

The James E. Rogers Department of Communication, Media, and Persuasion is driven by a commitment to creativity, innovation, and relevance. Our strategically integrated curriculum, engaging coursework, and supportive instruction and feedback offer educational experiences that equip students for lifelong success. For more information visit: http://www.isu.edu/cmp/