Clarissa is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a minor in Thematic Arts (Film). “I plan to pursue a Master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology and complete doctoral studies possibly in this field. One of my goals and passions is to positively impact people’s lives through various forms of media and I believe that this program helped me to achieve that. Therefore by working on a crowdfunding project, I improved on my media creating and editing skills,” she shared.
Steps taken to achieve her career goals
She had in mind in which project areas she was interested in–global health and community development. They were her top two choices because she believed “that people are able to thrive and accomplish great things when living in a strong community and when they are given access to adequate health care.” She decided to support an organization in Costa Rica that focused on helping people in the most vulnerable areas of Alajuelita, where poverty is prevalent.
While volunteering online for five to 10 hours a week, she was also busy preparing to transfer colleges. She had her whole day set out before focusing on the tasks assigned to her for that week. First, she starts with a run, read her Bible then help her sister get ready for the day. Her biggest tip to be efficient is to “plan out a schedule as best as you can, make sure that you inform anyone you live with about what you will be doing and what you will need (i.e. not to be disturbed during a certain time frame).”
Read More: Volunteers at Home: How to be Productive
What impact did she make for the organization?
During her two months of volunteering online, her contribution to the organization varied from day-to-day. “Some of my various tasks included collecting and editing photos, editing and combining videos, and writing a short script that described the purpose and gave information about the crowdfunding project,” she explained.
Meaning “pure life” – encapsulating the culture of Costa Rica
Clarissa got to work alongside another volunteer to start a fundraising campaign and tasked to complete a video and picture. “Through our collaboration and hard work and along with feedback from our supervisors, we were able to launch the campaign that has currently raised over $700 dollars which will be going to families in Costa Rica who have been affected by COVID-19,” she elucidated.
One lesson that I really learned during this volunteer experience, is perseverance. – Clarissa
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Lessons learned and highlights
“Before this experience, I did not know much about Costa Rica or its culture. I learned that its people value community, friendliness, kindness, gratefulness, and cheerfulness. One of the favorite things I learned about was the popular phrase that they often use and live by, Pura Vida
which means pure or simple life
, she shared. While she had many highlights, the biggest one was when her project supervisor surprised her with a Zoom call and the children from her project thanked her and had a party in her favor! “It was so humbling and heartwarming to see how we were able to make a positive impact and it is something that I will never forget!”
Don’t go into virtual volunteering thinking that it will be “easier” than in-person volunteering which is not necessarily true! Despite any difficulties you may face, don’t give up. In the end, you’ll likely gain a meaningful and valuable experience. – Clarissa Peyton
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
