Georgia State University’s First Lady, Laura Voisinet, joined 13 of the International Student Association’s Council and the organization’s adviser on their spring break, March 16-22, to work on a Habitat for Humanity project in Dade City, Fla.
While many college students across the country were occupied with less altruistic activities, the ISAC students volunteered for Habitat’s “collegiate challenge program” that entails engaging in all the diverse tasks to restore housing for families in need.
For many in the group, it was their first exposure to a culture of philanthropy and service. Not so for Ms. Voisinet, who calls herself a “Habitat groupie,” and who has been involved on Habit projects for 14 years.
“This opportunity was a combination of two things I am very passionate about: Georgia State’s diverse student population and Habitat service,” she added.
Georgia State enrolled more than 1,955 international students in 2014, a record high for the university including the ISAC undergraduate and graduate student volunteers from the U.S., Benin, Saudi Arabia, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Indonesia and China.
The program was launched last year by Mike Townsend, ISAC’s adviser and staff member in the Office of International Initiatives, and is open to any member of the Georgia State community.
Ms. Voisinet said that the program underscores the university’s commitment to “service-learning opportunities. “It’s important to show Atlanta that we care outside the confines of our campus footprint. At Georgia State, we give and we’re involved.”
To learn more about the program, contact Mr. Townsend by email at ctownsend@gsu.edu
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