As a Baruch scholar, we are expected to be achieving more than the other students. We are supposed to be more active in the clubs or community, achieve higher grades, and just set a better example. As a scholar, we are supposed to be a role model for the other students, guiding them when there is confusion and helping them out whenever possible.

As a way to do this, we have to be active in and out of school. Participating in clubs, whether as just a member or as a board member, allows us to keep in touch with various students in a social context.

Besides clubs, we are required to volunteer outside of school so that we can better our community. By taking time out of our busy lives, this ensures that we are giving back to our community in any helpful way. It enables us to connect with different groups of people that aren’t in our daily lives. If it is reading books to young children or serving food at a soup kitchen, volunteering makes us reconnect with people outside of school and learning. It teaches us that there is more than just school books and homework but rather there is a whole world out there and we need to help make it a better place.

By requiring us to volunteer our time to different organizations, it guarantees us that we find something that we would like to do and then really learn from the experience. Those required hours really make us touch base with what is going on and reminds us of our role as a Baruch Scholar. I am definitely looking forward to finding the organization that interests me and volunteering to better my community.