I furthered developed my skills to suppress my emotions in order to achieve the task at hand. Prior to this service event I had visited my friend in the ICU hours before. I was rather shook up about it, but I had a task to do, so I focused on it. It was rather hard and I don't wish to expound upon it to deeply, but it took all I had to keep my focus on the objective and hand, while not letting my emotions get the better of me. For this I believe I now have a stronger understanding of my emotions.
I further learned about the community in which I was serving by talking to the guests about their lives and experiences. It was refreshing to have some genuine conversations about how they were all doing, learning where they came from, who their families were, and why they were here. It helped me grow my empathy for these people and beloved organization.
These relationships that I made with the guests will inspire and encourage me to come back and volunteer again. By expanding my pool of knowledge and understanding of some of the guests I had yet to talk to, it let me build even more empathy for the people I was here to serve. It also reminded me of my mission at play, and reinvigorated my efforts to help these folks as I was actively seeing their progress.
I do plan to return to volunteering at this organization. As stated above, by meeting some of the guests I had yet to introduce myself to it helps for me to better serve and grow my own unique connections with all of the guests. These connections are crucial as they allow me to better serve all of the guests and act as if it is capital I have invested into this organization, so it is giving me a reason to come back.
My unexpected challenge during all of this was just how emotional I was. It was a rough for the prior reason listed, but I put my head down and tuned it all out for two hours. It was good for me, it gave me something to do and take my mind off of it all. Now I know that helping others when I feel sad or at my lowest is a good coping mechanism for myself that was genuinely helpful. Helped me take out some of my anxiety and stress with a positive mechanism rather than sit around and worry.
During my service with Room in the Inn, I improved my communication and teamwork skills by working with others to prepare and serve food to homeless families. It challenged my problem-solving abilities when we had to quickly adapt to make sure everyone got their meals efficiently, which helped me stay calm under pressure. The experience opened my eyes to the reality of homelessness in my own community and helped me understand that it can affect entire families, not just individuals. I formed strong connections with other volunteers, and working as a team made the experience more meaningful and motivating. Our service clearly supported the mission of Room in the Inn by providing meals and a sense of care to those in need, and the organization helped guide us throughout the experience. I definitely plan to volunteer again because it aligned with my values, and despite feeling unsure at first about how to interact with the families, I overcame it by showing kindness and just being present.
It was very fun and amazing. Everyone was very kind.
Through this experience I helped develop my networking skills. While I was at the event there was a group of track athletes from the University of Memphis. I did not know them, but I know an alumni who was on the team, so I asked them if they knew him. Unfortunately, they came in to the program a year after he graduated, but it did provide a launching point for us to all have a discussion. Through their I learned their majors and now when I see them walking around campus I say hello to them and inquire about their days.
My service impacted my understanding of social issues as the majority of the kitchen volunteers I was working with were other EL volunteers. Through this, I now understand that the EL program provides an army of volunteers for our surrounding community, and with less than two hundred people in our program, you would think we have a lot more just from considering how big of an impact we all have made within our own organizations.
My new connections were the student athletes I met who were on the track team. It's not every day that I get the privilege's of interacting with our very busy student athletes. I appreciate my conversation with them as they are all extremely dedicated to not just their academics, but in everything they do in life. Simply put, they are some rather interesting people to talk to.
My service contributed to the mission and goal of the Room In The Inn Organization by providing a sense of community for families who are facing homelessness and those who are undergoing drug rehabilitation. By talking to the guests, giving them the time of day, and showcasing our acts of service by feeding/ cleaning up after them, we helped create a much more positive environment that they need in order to help rehabilitate themselves. Pair this with the fact that there are children within the building and it helps provide the kids with an environment within which they can grow.
The unexpected challenge I did not expect to face was that we ran out of food rather quickly. Because of this we had to reheat some leftover pasta very quickly to ensure that all of our guests had a meal to it. It was very stressful seeing the food slowly run out as more and more people came to eat dinner, but thanks to the quick thinking of our chef; we were able to feed everyone. Granted, we did reheat too much pasta, but I suppose too much food beats the alternative of too little.
How has this experience influenced your future career or educational goals?
Serving at Room in the Inn this semester has reminded me why I chose biomedical engineering to help others and create meaningful change. It’s strengthened my desire to use my education for community. These experiences have grounded my academic goals in real-world compassion and service.
How did your service influence your understanding of social or environmental issues?
It deepened my understanding of how complex homelessness is, there’s no single cause or easy solution. I’ve seen firsthand that many of the people we served just needed support, warmth, and human connection. It made me more aware of the systemic issues that create and sustain poverty and homelessness, and the importance of empathy in addressing them.
What new connections or relationships did you form during your service?
Over the semester, I’ve formed genuine bonds with other student volunteers and community members. I also connected with several fellow engineering students, and our shared service helped build a sense of camaraderie beyond the classroom. These relationships have made the work even more meaningful and reminded me that service builds both community and character.
How did the organization support or guide you during your service?
Room in the Inn provided clear direction, a supportive atmosphere, and always made us feel valued. They did more than assign tasks, they explained the “why” behind everything we did, which helped us stay engaged and motivated. Their structure made it easy to focus on connecting with guests and giving our best.
Did your service align with your personal values and beliefs? If not, how did you handle any conflicts?
It aligned perfectly. I’ve always believed in giving back, treating others with dignity, and being part of something bigger than myself. Every time I served, I felt like I was living those values out loud. It’s been one of the most fulfilling parts of my semester.