Lucy Jones ’20, a philosophy major from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, reflects on her role as an executive director in Elon Volunteers! and the service organization’s impact on her Elon journey.
Service-learning has always been an important aspect of the educational journey for Lucy Jones ’20. She began volunteering as an elementary school student in her hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and continued serving her community throughout high school.
The transition to college, however, made finding time for service more difficult. New people, new classes and new responsibilities kept Jones from volunteering early on in her Elon journey – but all that changed during her sophomore year.
“I decided to reevaluate what I was doing, and I really wanted to get back to doing more work in the community,” Jones said.
She searched for ways to reignite her passion for service and found Elon Volunteers!, the university’s hub for service opportunities on campus and in the community. The student-run organization offers students the chance to engage in community service through a variety of program. It was the perfect opportunity for Jones to get back to doing the work she loved.
Now a senior, Jones has taken on a leadership role as one of three EV! executive directors. She leads the organization’s education and communication efforts, facilitating service education and reflection for students and EV! student leaders. She also heads monthly Institute for Civic and Community Engagement events that bring community partners to campus to discuss social issues with students. Jones’ role in the organization allows her to combine her passion for volunteering with her longing for social justice.
“I see volunteering and service work as a key part of social justice,” Jones said. “Not just being educated about things, not just wanting to advocate for things, but to do things that are hands-on. Having that tangible impact is just as important as advocating or calling your representative.”
Jones has used her position in EV! to take action on social issues affecting Alamance County and the state of North Carolina. In fall 2018, she organized a deliberative dialogue session about immigration and invited community partners to campus to discuss challenges and solutions in the immigration debate. Jones also led a group of students on an Alternative Fall Break trip to Asheville, North Carolina, to study and work to combat food insecurity in the region. Opportunities like these have allowed Jones to add to EV!’s more than 30 years of service on campus and in the community.
“It’s cool to be someone who has been able to have an impact on this organization and leave my mark in my own way,” Jones said.
Along with her service-learning opportunities, Jones has studied abroad in South Africa and is completing her Elon College Fellows thesis on reproductive justice as it relates to Christianity with her mentor, Professor of Religious Studies Toddie Peters. Now Jones is waiting to see what the future holds.
“I don’t really have an end goal right now, and I’m pretty OK with that,” Jones said, adding she wants to be involved in community organizing and community-based work in reproductive justice, housing, hunger and food security.
Jones is currently a semifinalist for the Fulbright U.S. Student Award, which would provide her the opportunity to teach English in Israel. As she awaits a response from Fulbright and prepares for the next chapter of her journey, Jones plans to take the many experiences and lessons she’s learned at Elon and use them to share her passion with the world.
“Thinking about who I was coming into college and who I am now, I have just grown so much, and Elon has facilitated so much of that, whether it’s through allowing me to do research, or having mentors who encourage me to get involved and take on leadership roles,” Jones said. “That’s helped me develop so much confidence in myself and my abilities.”