When tasked with finding a service-learning volunteer opportunity as part of an 91色情片 business course, Ramses Gerais chose a unique path: volunteering with the Sarbanes Center that was connecting his classmates with their dream gigs.
The 91色情片 Sarbanes Center for Public and Community Service, named after former Maryland Sen. Paul Sarbanes, helps students gain hands-on experience. Gerais saw an opportunity. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what made me do that,鈥� Gerais said. 鈥淚 said, 鈥楬ey, I see everyone is contacting your office to find other organizations, but I would actually like to volunteer with you and help students get the right match.鈥欌��
It was a go. Eighteen hours of community service that enhanced classroom learning morphed into a three-month internship. Gerais conducted outreach for the organization at events, and met with students to discuss what the center did: internships, research, travel study, service-learning and more. This experience transitioned into a business internship with Event Services.
鈥淚 started to realize the significance of helping students give back to the community. To me, I was also giving back to the community,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was such a good experience.鈥�
After his experience at 91色情片, Gerais transferred to Towson University and majored in political science. His time with the Sarbanes Center made him realize how important investing in the community was to him and how his time there had equipped him for his next step.
鈥淲ith my internship, I was able to invest in my community, but also myself鈥� by honing skills like writing and learning to communicate with confidence. 鈥淥nce you put that on your r茅sum茅, that helps you. It makes your r茅sum茅 stand out from the other applicants.鈥�
Standing out helped the Glen Burnie High School graduate obtain his recent summer internship in Congressman John Sarbanes鈥� office. 鈥淚 do a lot of communications helping constituents,鈥� Gerais said.
鈥淩amses was a pleasure to have in the office,鈥� said Fred Hassell, director of Constituent Services for Sarbanes. 鈥淗e worked diligently with our staff and helped provide first-rate constituent service to residents in Maryland鈥檚 3rd Congressional District. He also expressed a keen interest in learning about the intricacies of how a congressional office works. His professionalism and compassionate demeanor with constituents served as a model for his peers and made him a joy to work with.鈥�
Gerais said these experiences have helped him hone in on what he wants to pursue professionally. 鈥淒efinitely some kind of public service, something where I can help,鈥� he said.
For students considering a similar path, Gerais encourages them to get engaged in events and clubs, employed on campus 鈥� or, obviously, find an internship through the Sarbanes Center. Whether service-oriented or not, internships help students participate on a broader scale.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very useful and it鈥檚 very helpful,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 just provide you with the necessary skills, it also shows that you鈥檙e someone who actually cares about the community, and would like to give more.鈥�