Resource Center offers support and community to students

by LYLA DODGE

Contributing Writer

When Laurie Zdenek, a junior historic preservation major, started volunteering for the Gwen Hale Resource Center, it was run completely by one professor and a student. Both are worried the structure left loopholes in the center’s management.  

For example, there was a lack of organization for the stock of jackets, canned tuna and dried beans that came in through donations. 

To fix the problem, Zdenek was appointed as a co-leader of the center by the professor to help manage volunteers. Their time volunteering had given them a peek into the enormous workload, and they knew they could handle it.   

Zdenek, 20, has now been in the position since the beginning of Spring 2024, and their leadership will be tested because the team of around 30 volunteers is losing a chunk of its leadership this spring, a challenge that Zdenek is prepared to face. 

“We are going to have our first big change in leadership since I had my position,” said Zdenek. “I believe I can handle it.”  

The Gwen Hale Resource Center is off the beaten path on the University of Mary Washington’s campus. Housed on the fifth floor of Lee Hall, it is typically quiet except for Zdenek’s rustling. Three times a week, they go in and make sure the shelves are stocked.  

“What volunteers or people who come to the center largely see is a lot of the general maintenance for the center,” said Zdenek. “I have an office hour at COAR each week where I set up the events in presence, emails to my volunteers before events, create social media posts, and create flyers.”  

Zdenek plays a pivotal role in coordinating volunteers, organizing weekly events and overseeing COAR initiatives. Their time is filled with a variety of responsibilities, from managing logistics to ensuring that the center operates smoothly, along with fellow student leaders and faculty members.  

Behind every smoothly run event or fully stocked food pantry, there is a significant amount of behind-the-scenes work. From securing donations and applying for grants to crafting social media posts and coordinating volunteers, Zdenek estimates that half of the work done by the leadership team happens outside the public eye.  

Zdenek has worked hard to create a foundation that will allow future volunteers to step into leadership roles seamlessly. Still, they know that challenges lie ahead. Maintaining engagement, securing resources and recruiting new volunteers will be critical in ensuring the center’s continued success.  

“It’s going to be a matter of seeing how well the structure holds up,” Zdenek said.

Zdenek’s commitment to service started at an early age, shaped not so much by geography but by experience. Having moved around as a child from Northern Virginia to Centerville, Ohio, they found a sense of community through service projects with their Girl Scout and Scouting America troops and church youth group. Mission trips with Habitat for Humanity in middle school, along with their mother’s encouragement, instilled in them a deep appreciation for volunteer work.  

“I volunteer because it makes me feel good,” said Zdenek. “It’s a wonderful feeling to put aside everything that’s going on in your life and be able to do work that makes a noticeable, impactful difference.”  

Though the efforts of volunteering do not come without struggles, Zdenek encourages those who have not yet explored volunteer work to give it a chance.  

“You don’t have to be motivated by pure altruism,” they said. “You can do it because it is required for a class or because it helps you feel more connected to your community. Whatever your reason, you are still making a positive impact.”  

A fellow COAR volunteer, Morgan Stubbs, a sophomore chemistry major, started volunteering when their friend Zdenek encouraged them to come to an event at the center. 

“I feel like I’m making campus a better place when the shelves are stocked,” said Stubbs. “Laurie helped me find my way to the center and now I tell everyone about it.” 

With graduation approaching, COAR plans to uphold its tradition by giving the seniors a personalized book. These books are tailored to their majors and personalities as a small but meaningful send-off. Their annual end-of-semester taco party will cap things off for everyone on the team.  

As for Zdenek, they are focused on the future. Their goal is to ensure that future student leaders can take over with ease, even as the current team prepares for graduation. Recruiting new volunteers, refining systems and preparing for the center’s next chapter.