Hello!

My name is Katrina Mijal and I am the Service Trip Coordinator for SIEO. I’m a junior here at UWSP majoring in Sociology with a minor in Gerontology. I feel very fortunate to have had the experience I’ve had here at UWSP and I hope that at some point, you will all be able to say the same. Here’s my story:

I graduated from high school in 2006 in a class of about 633 students. I was eager to start classes at UWSP in the fall and even more excited to take in all the new experiences college has to offer. I moved into Burroughs Hall, just across town from my parent’s house, but far enough away to give me some much needed freedom and independence. I was a Psychology major working at Perkins part time as a waitress.

I’ve always had an interest in volunteer work, and throughout my high school years I tried to do as much of it as I could. I spent many afternoons walking dogs at the Portage County Humane Society, lunch hours as a peer mentor for special education students, and Saturdays chatting with residents at the Portage County Nursing Home. As I transitioned into a college student, I soon discovered that all the time I seemed to have had back in high school was hard to come by. My afternoons were now filled with classes, my lunch hours became used for last minute studying, and I spent my Saturdays over at Perkins trying to make a few dollars to put into my gas tank. Even still, I kept my eye out for opportunities that would fit into my schedule.

I received an email early in my freshman year, advertising a trip to the Gulf Coast to help clean up after hurricane devastation. United Way of America and ThinkMTV had teamed up to put on an Alternative Spring Break program for college students across the country, and UWSP was going to take a group. I had been looking for a way to help out for so long, and I was convinced this would be an amazing opportunity. I had absolutely no idea just how amazing an opportunity it would be.

I filled out the trip application, got accepted, met the group and was headed down to Lake Charles, Louisiana for spring break of 2007. I can honestly say that that week of spring break changed my life. I met so many amazing people, had a blast learning how to install drywall and throughout all of it made a world of difference to a woman named Miss Gwen and her family who had lost their home to Hurricane Rita a year before. I came back to Stevens Point with a whole new perspective.

Shortly after I returned, The Student Involvement and Employment Office here on campus was looking to hire a student to plan and lead volunteer trips for their new volunteer program. I was hesitant to apply because I hadn’t had much experience with leading groups, but with my love for travel and my passion for volunteering, it seemed like the perfect job for me. I interviewed, and started my job as the Service Trip Coordinator that summer. Two years and four amazing trips later, I am so excited to start another school year.

My job at SIEO has lead me to so many amazing experiences and opportunities (including my decision to switch my major to Sociology), but the thing that I love most about it, is being able to give UWSP students the chance to have the feeling that they’ve made a difference. There truly is nothing that compares to that feeling. In fact, there’s a quote by Booker T. Washington that follows: “if you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

I hope that you will all take the time to stop by and say hello this year! There are tons of ways to get involved and I hope that you take advantage of all the great opportunities available to you.

I’ll be posting updates about upcoming service trips and keeping you informed on what’s going on in the SIEO volunteer office.

P.S. I’m currently working on an awesome trip for the end of summer…. more details coming soon!