Meet Samantha B, sophomore biomedical engineering major from Sewell, NJ (Gloucester County.) She shares her passion for volunteering with the Food Recovery Network and encourages students to deepen their volunteer experiences on-campus.
“What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?” – George Eliot
There are few feelings, as a college student and human being, that rival the sensation of giving back to a cause, any cause, that matters to you. Giving all that we can do individually to better the lives of those that we empathize with is just about as rewarding as it gets, and it’s safe to say that we all wish we could participate in philanthropic efforts a little more than we already do.
It’s easy to be philanthropic when you’re a well-established gajillionaire, but as an undergraduate 20-something scraping together loose change to do your laundry and buy discount cereal from Aldi, donating to your favorite non-profits is an act easier said than done. Money is tight, and some days, starting a personal GoFundMe to keep your Spotify subscription afloat doesn’t seem all too crazy. All of this begs the question: “How can I give back on-campus in a way that works for me?”
As a student who actively volunteers and is constantly searching for ways to be more immersed on campus, I can assure you that Rowan offers a plethora of opportunities for students to give back. The breadth of volunteer efforts on campus reach a scope far beyond the bounds of our school — philanthropic efforts tend to reach the Glassboro community, as well as greater national causes.
That being said, it can be difficult to weed through the zillions of opportunities provided by our university to find the activities that really resonate with us as individuals. After a full year (and one semester) here at Rowan, I’ve found my own personal unsung hero of philanthropy in the form of Rowan’s Food Recovery Network.
Rowan’s Food Recovery Network is a small, student-led organization on campus that works on a weekly basis to source unused, otherwise wasted food from Rowan University’s dining halls. Students and faculty transport recovered food to local shelters in the Glassboro community. Food Recovery Network redirects food waste to a worthy cause, and gives students a chance to positively impact their surrounding community in a way that’s meaningful, and of course, doable.
Being a part of something like Food Recovery Network at Rowan, a university that encourages sustainability and practicing sustainable habits, is extremely rewarding. Being able to give back to those that have lent a hand in building beautiful Glassboro — the town that us Profs get to call home — is an opportunity I’m beyond grateful to have.
The best part? I don’t have to dip into my Spotify subscription fund to give back — all that I need to donate is my time, energy and my drive, shared by everyone at Food Recovery, to make the lives of those around us just a little less difficult. That’s the case with most volunteer efforts at Rowan University — so enhance your college experience, and lend a hand!
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Story by:
Samantha B, sophomore biomedical engineering major
Photos by:
Alyssa Bauer, senior public relations major
1. The Community in Mimosa 
hear. It was definitely better than having to pick up the phone. It’s nice. 
individuals but still grow side by side. 
ing through Twitter, like most students, waiting for class to start. I saw a post from Rowan University about the transfer deadline and cruised to the main website. I found a big transfer button and thought, “Why not give it a shot?” Rowan was the only school I applied to transfer to, so this was all or nothing for me.
Engagement
Your name:
Ben graduated magna cum laude from Rowan’s highly competitive 
Ben’s academic career flourished after that first semester. He joined the 
Do you work on campus? I worked in the 
and says video games have played an important role in his life since he was very young. 
Things are very upbeat and exciting here with plenty of events and tournaments. Tournaments range from multiple genres of video games, including fighting games, first-person shooters and sports games. However, it’s not limited to just video game tournaments. The Game Room offers a few distinctive and simplistic tournaments as well such as Jenga tournaments and even classic arcade game tournaments such as Dig Dug.
If you don’t really know where to start to meet other gamer students, this is the perfect place to start. If you have any kind of social anxiety, asking to join in a group of people playing a video game is a perfect starting point. With tons of games to play and a large quantity of people to talk to, social interaction is impossible to avoid.
Ten toes in. This is the motto of 
Do you work on campus? If so, where/what do you do? Yes, I am a 
Name:
Name:
Name:
What other things do you hope to accomplish during your time here at Rowan?
Today we talk to Erin O’Grady, a freshman 
Today we are speaking with Lauren O’Donnell, a 
us in PCI were first-generation students. So, I didn’t feel alone because we were on the same page. We understood the situation we were in. It was a mixture [in our] group, and that is why PCI is so great, it builds relationships and gives support out for people who need it.”
stay active, but how do we manage to do so while juggling classes and a social life? To begin, it is of the utmost importance to schedule your time and hold yourself accountable. I strongly recommend investing in a planner and sitting down on Sunday nights and taking the time to write out your responsibilities.
When Rowan Bucks run low, however, using the school’s cafeteria, such as the Marketplace in the Student Center or Glassworks Eatery in Holly Pointe Commons, is another easy option. There are a variety of nutritious options to help you stay healthy. Treating yourself is always okay but be sure to use moderation and keep your health in mind. And if you’re having trouble, Rowan’s nutritionist can always offer tips and advice.
to eating healthy in a time management-friendly way is to prep all of your meals in advance. “Meal-prepping” can sound like an intimidating term reserved for the fitness-savvy and health freaks. In reality, it is very simple and can save unbelievable amounts of time for busy college students.
hung out in our free time. I personally spent time networking with some amazing people from universities all across the east coast. I exchanged numbers with tons of people and made some amazing connections over this trip. Nearly 40 institutions gathered together at this event and it showed. Every workshop, presentation, and cheesy icebreaker were electrifying. Finally, one of the best parts is that all the presentations were run by students. It created a relaxing, informative, and fun atmosphere for nearly every session.
All in all, the NODA Region VIII Conference was an awesome leadership experience. I know the word “leadership” can be scary to many of us, however; I would challenge those of us who aren’t involved in leadership on Rowan’s campus to try taking that first step. Run for executive board for an organization or club, apply to be apart of PROS or become a Resident Assistant. Find opportunities to take that first step because you’ll never know where it can take you. Who knows? Maybe it could land you an opportunity to go to a conference yourself someday.
By joining Rowan’s EMS team students join one of the nation’s top collegiate units — standing as the only collegiate unit in the nation awarded bronze, silver, and gold awards from NCEMSF (National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation) for the organization’s preparation and readiness. Volunteers stand among peers who are required to maintain GPA standards, but still managed to accumulate a collective total of 16,000 volunteer hours as a group for the year. This organization operates as a family — relying on one another, helping one another, and laughing with one another.
certification a member goes through a six to nine month training program held at the Gloucester County EMT Training Academy paid for by the organization. Chief Howery stated, “In addition to arranging the training at no cost, we have a continual no-cost-training program. So every month, Cooper Hospital, as part of the contract that we have with them, will come to Rowan and hold training classes in various topics we suggest or recommend.”
Typical scenarios volunteers might find themselves in include medical and injury responses, transport services for medical appointments and prescription drug pick-up, emergency medical transport, community engagement, mental health responses, training and awareness spreading of proper CPR techniques and AED usage, and the installation and maintenance of campus AEDs.
Coming in as an exploratory studies major really helped me to solidify what I wanted to do as a career.
share my journey. To see the first generation alums and get their support made me feel welcomed and a sense of belonging.
we experienced was guest policies, specifically people staying the night. But we talked through it immediately.” – Alayna 
“I chose Rowan because it was closer to home and I did not want to be too far from my family. I also chose to come here because of 
