Stacey Sommerfield, director of the David Garner Center for Collegiate Volunteerism, is full of advice.  “I’m the advisor for many different service groups on campus, including Habitat for Humanity, SLU Buddies, Circle K, SLU Act and many others,” she explains. “I also work with students who are interested in creating new volunteer programs on campus.”

The Garner Center was recently awarded a Campus Kitchen Project grant.  “This grant will provide funds to start a program on campus that uses leftover food from the dining units, other schools and food banks to make and package free meals that can be given out in the community,” says Sommerfield.  “The grant was the brainchild of Sarah Friedman ’09, who was inspired to start a campus soup kitchen after seeing one at another college.”

“I always enjoy how much the students, faculty and staff are supportive of the volunteer center,” says Sommerfield.  “Every time I ask for help, ideas or donations, the entire community comes through.” Typical was Spring Break 2009, when she took a group of students to Seattle to work for Habitat for Humanity.  “I was impressed each day by the hard work and dedication of these students,” she recalls.

Sommerfield says the students “bring me hope and encouragement for the future every day.  Students of all class years and backgrounds are constantly asking how they can get involved or bringing me new ideas.  Without their energy I think that sometimes I would get a bit down about the state of the world.” 

When not at work, Sommerfield enjoys traveling.  True to the liberal arts ideal of lifelong learning, she tries to learn two new things every year, and for 2009, golf and the accordion are on her schedule.