What does it mean to serve your community?

What is your role in the Baruch and broader community as a Baruch Scholar in the Honors Program and what do you think it should be? How is this related to the culture of service the Honors Program promotes?  {somehow I don’t think that I have answered the questions precisely}

{a bit of sarcastic mode going on and a bit of going off on an tangent}

I don’t remember all the “chores” (I may have used the wrong diction for this) that a Baruch Scholars should aim for but it sums up to:  becoming an intellectual and a philanthropist (and obviously more).  I agree that this is the achieving roles because this is indeed a way to maintain the status of a well-rounded scholar.

The role as a Baruch student, as well as a Baruch Scholar, is to achieve an intellectual insight and social understanding of society , as well as finding ways to contribute to the broader community.  My role is a student who seeks to achieve such standards — though not as a forced-upon ideal but as a lookout to find myself and distinguish myself.  A role of a Baruch Scholar is also to become an explorer.

Baruch Scholars are fortunate to have what they are given to them.  But nothing is free and it should not viewed as free and it will never be free.  In return, we need to give back to the community and to Baruch.  Achieve at least some high GPA and do a lot of stuff for the community. Going back to what I have learn in philosophy class, it brings up a question of what makes someone more special than any other person.  Not following the philosophy argument for this journal purpose, I believe that Baruch Scholars have the ability to give – time, action, awareness, etc.  (Not just Baruch Scholars but anyone as well.  It just Baruch Scholars have one less thing to worry about is the tuition.)  Even though it seems like an — or it is an — obligation as a Baruch Scholar, I think whoever you are, you have to somehow be part of society.  Whoever you are, try to get a good grade in class (but then you are not supposed to learn to get an A but learning for the sake of learning).

And definitely go volunteer for the experience and not for the hours and incentives — those may be a plus but never a reason volunteering.  It may be easy to write this but actions are harder to implement.  The requirement to volunteer is imposed upon Baruch students, so Scholars, who never volunteer before or is going to volunteer somewhere new, gets a taste of volunteering.  It may not be what you want to do but you soon to love it — or hate it.  But by the end of the day, you probably think it wasn’t so bad because you just survived the first day of volunteer.  When I volunteered, I was glad and grateful that I was able to do my job and help a needy person to find his or her need.

I love to learn but I’m not necessarily smart — why?!?!  I’m quite a lazy lass but it does not mean that I’m irresponsible.  When (most) knowledge is free, why not take advantage to it.  The real hard problems are containing it and applying it. Baruch Scholars must contain it and apply it to reality.  Learn what you enjoy and learn where you can expand your knowledge.  I have a love/hate relationship with writing but I still want to learn more about it and improve it.

I DON’T DENY MY ROLE AS A BARUCH SCHOLAR!  and I don’t object it.  I try my best to achieve the GPA — because it is a must and a need — and willingly to volunteer — except I want to try volunteering outside of United States.

The [Honor] program is committed to developing well-rounded individuals, engaged citizens, effective leaders, and graduates who are prepared for successful careers in all fields.

In order to develop that “well-rounded individuals, engaged citizens, effective leaders, and graduates who are prepared for successful careers in all fields”, Baruch Scholars are open to explore, especially becoming an engaging student.

Explore in mind and the realm of social responsibility — and explore safely and with respect.  By exploring more, the students understand what they know what love and hate.  They know their wants and disinterests.  They know what they can go for and what they don’t want to end up with.  Discover new people, and learn new facts and opinions.  They may even find something that they hate can turn into love.  Baruch Scholars make use of their capabilities and provide whatever is possible.