Oberlin College Students Help Community Organization

By Sue Kropp
AUGUST 21, 2001 — Oberlin Community Services (OCS) has provided local residents with social services and assistance for the past 50 years. And Oberlin College students have volunteered with the organization for just as long, offering OCS a steady stream of student workers dedicated to serving the Oberlin community.


Elias Suarez during OCS's monthly food distribution.
Recently, students have been helping OCS staff members move the organization to its new home at 285 South Professor Street.

"Students have been involved in all phases of the move," says Ann Fuller, director of the organization. "For example, Elias Suarez [a junior from Houston] organized the warehouse where we store supplies for the emergency food assistance program by assembling shelving and arranging supplies."

Students also searched the web to help staff members find refrigeration units for the warehouse, while others helped landscape the new property.

Although moving OCS to its new home has been a summer priority, student employees are continuing several other projects.


Jonathan Needleman

Jonathan Needleman, a junior mathematics major from Washington, D.C., is analyzing test scores collected from elementary and high school students who have participated in the OCS summer tutoring program. Needleman is looking at the test results from before and after the tutoring sessions to determine if the program is helping local students pass the state proficiency tests.

"Jonathan's work will help us focus more on students' weaknesses and improve our curriculum design to help them with their studies," says Fuller.

Many graduates of Oberlin College remain with OCS long past the commencement ceremonies. Melissa Wright '01 has been involved with the organization since her first year at Oberlin. Most recently, Wright served as an interim caseworker, screening prospective clients for the Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP)--an effort funded by the city of Oberlin and facilitated by OCS.

Seth and Angela Truby (both '96) have been hired by OCS as client services coordinators. They will link Oberlin residents with initiatives such as the emergency food assistance program, the utilities and rent assistance programs, the prescription assistance programs, and the local Meals-on-Wheels program.

Student employees also are evaluating the organization's programming for the coming year.

"We're looking at our programming to see how we can better respond to our clients' needs," Fuller says. "We're interested in focusing on technology, offering computer-intensive classes and tutoring sessions, and helping clients with online job searches."


Ket Ashfield '01 tending to the building's landscape.

Focusing on technology means OCS will need more student employees and volunteers. Anyone interested in working or volunteering for OCS may contact Ann Fuller through e-mail or at 440-774-6579.

"Oberlin College students are an important part of our organization," says Fuller. "From the most menial to the most intellectual tasks, students are involved with projects that help the Oberlin community and translate directly into useful job skills at the same time."

Copyright 2001 Oberlin College. Article courtesy oberlin.edu.

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