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"A woman lost her daughter in a local fire. She came to the Red Cross office, and I helped her find a house, groceries, and clothing. When she left, she hugged me and said, 'Thank you so much. You're an angel.'" That, says 20-year-old Michael Spencer, is his ultimate motivation for service. "Those moments give me the satisfaction of really helping someone," he shares. "That's my inspiration."

It all started in 1996, when a tornado ripped through Michael's hometown of Van Buren, AR. He signed up with a church group to assist the Red Cross in disaster recovery, and was so impressed with the non-profit group that he decided to join. "I believe in the mission of the Red Cross 100 percent," he states. "The organization is all about helping people."

When the tragedy of 9/11 occurred, Michael was in a unique position to volunteer effectively because of his previous years of experience with local relief for disasters such as fires, storms, and floods. In order to travel to the Pentagon and Ground Zero, Michael needed the permission of his professors at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, to take two weeks off from school for each of his first two semesters of college. He had quite a bit of coursework to do before he left, and make-up assignments when he returned. But, he believes it was worth it, and his instructors agree. "They know out-of-class work is just as important as in-class work," affirms Michael.

Not only did he give his own time freshman year, he convinced others to lend a hand, too. He recruited two college friends to go to New York City with him during their winter break. "They were right there on the front lines, interviewing [displaced] families and helping them find a place to stay," says Michael.

One of his recruits, Brandon McKinney, had a positive volunteer experience, with glowing things to say about Michael as a person and friend. "A couple of weeks ago, he called me up and asked how I was doing," shares Brandon. "He said, 'Let's go out to eat and talk about everything.' He really cares, and if there's any way he can make [a situation] better, he will."

Nancy Retherford, communication associate for the National Red Cross, describes Michael as "a humanitarian at heart." It's not a surprise that he hopes to continue his humanitarian efforts in his new Red Cross role as the National Coordinator of Disaster Youth Volunteers. He is focusing on community disaster education, and one of his goals is to increase youth involvement in disaster services. While Michael's involvement may seem overwhelming to an already overextended college student, Dana Allen, manager of media relations for the National Red Cross, contends that if Michael can volunteer, so can you. "He's opening new doors," she attests. "If he can make time to respond, the same thing can happen in colleges across the country."

To get started, Michael encourages volunteering in your area of interest. "If you're a health major, teach First Aid and CPR. If you're studying law, find a non-profit that provides legal assistance. Use whatever you're interested in to help people."

Which is exactly what he has done. As a journalism and political science major, Michael's future goal is to continue in non-profit public relations. Thus, in all his giving, he does get something back. "The Red Cross has given me so many opportunities -- they allow me to use my skills to help people."

Be Like Mike
Join or start a Red Cross club on your campus. Go to http://www.redcross.org/services/youth/0,1082,0_411_,00.html for more information.

For a variety of internships with the Red Cross, log onto http://www.redcross.org/services/youth/0,1082,0_416_,00.html.

Visit your local Red Cross unit Web site for more information on how to volunteer. Go to Redcross.org/where/chapts.html, or call (202) 303-4498 to find a chapter near you.


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Robyn Tellefsen is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

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