Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Wvuafm tuscaloosa.
[00:00:09] Speaker B: Happy Sunday, y'.
[00:00:10] Speaker C: All.
[00:00:10] Speaker B: You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7, the capstone. And what's up, my friend?
[00:00:16] Speaker C: What is up? It is still hot.
[00:00:18] Speaker B: It is. I'm like, is it really September? I'm pretty sure it's like, July 25th right now or some. Some kind of hot day.
[00:00:25] Speaker C: Some kind of hot day. You know that. You know the old saying, like, if you.
If you want it to rain, don't do a rain dance. Just go wash your car.
What if I made soup?
Do you think it would bring on the fall weather?
[00:00:39] Speaker B: I think it would. Now, on that topic, are you a soup person? And if so, what are your favorite soups? You know, give me. Give me the deets on, like, what fall cuisine.
[00:00:48] Speaker C: I love some soup now. I love a good, creamy tomato. I love a potato vegetable.
[00:00:55] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:00:55] Speaker C: Okay.
You know, taco soup.
[00:00:58] Speaker B: Okay. So are you doing all these stovetop? You doing crock top, or does it really depend on crock pot? Excuse me? Or does it just depend on what the recipe is?
[00:01:08] Speaker C: Just depends on what the recipe is. Yeah. What's your favorite?
[00:01:11] Speaker B: Oh, gosh, I like a lot. Everything you said is really delicious. There's also this other one that I've made. It's actually similar to a Filipino soup my grandmother used to make, and it has ginger and lime in it. It has chick and rice, and it's just. It's very comforting. There's something about the zip and zing of the ginger that's really nice when you have a cold.
[00:01:36] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:01:37] Speaker B: But, you know, but I also respect the fact that it's not everybody's cup of tea. I do love me a good creamy soup. You know, any kind of, like, creamy potato, something like that. But as much as my husband, he. He does like soup. He does not like soup out of season. I could eat soup anytime.
[00:01:54] Speaker C: Yeah. I don't think I could do, like.
Like a chili.
[00:01:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:02:00] Speaker C: In. In the heat today.
But I do love a soup. Yeah. I mean, it's just comforting. Like you said, there's just a good cover. I like that. The zip and zing.
[00:02:09] Speaker B: The zip and zing.
[00:02:10] Speaker C: Let's work that into my life. Yeah.
[00:02:12] Speaker B: Well, you know, when you mentioned chili, it actually reminded me, Gosh, it was probably eight or nine years ago. I had two nutrition interns with me, and I was asking them, I was like, hey. I was like, what'd y' all eat for breakfast today? Because I was eating breakfast at my desk, and one of the girls was like, o. Oh, you know, Katie's so weird. She does not eat normal breakfast food. And I was like, katie, I was like, what did you eat for breakfast this morning? She's like, oh, I had a bowl of chili and. And a salad. And I was like, what? And she was like, leftover. She was like, I am very cost effective.
And she's like, I have no rules about food. And I was like, I get that, but I just don't know if I could mentally do that.
[00:02:51] Speaker C: Like, roll out of bed and just, you know, get you some ranch and croutons and salad and chili.
[00:02:58] Speaker B: Yeah, I just. I can't. I don't know.
[00:03:00] Speaker C: 7:00am yeah. Yeah.
I. I admire that, though. You know, it's like, no time for granola bars, babe. No, we're gonna finish this soup off.
[00:03:09] Speaker B: Yeah. We're gonna do this, you know, before we make something else. And I have to acknowledge, you know. Okay, so we. We have two guests coming on today. One of our guests, he has been on the show before, and the last time we were on this show or the last time he was on this show, we were talking about food during this segment and were talking about Thanksgiving food. We were talking about cheese, Mac and cheese, favorite sides. And I do remember this particular guest did not care too much for cheese and Mac and cheese. And so I'm really going to be curious when we bring our guests on after our break if there will be an opinion about soups. So we'll see what happens, because I already see him nodding right now, so it's going to be a good time. But, you guys, we're going to go ahead and take that first break. I promise when we get back, we will not be talking about soups, fall and supes and hot weather. We'll be talking about much. Excuse me. Much better things. But you guys, grab a drink of water, run to the restroom, do what you got to do. You are listening to fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the capstone.
[00:04:16] Speaker A: Wvuafm tuscaloosa.
[00:04:25] Speaker C: Welcome back, listeners. You are listening to fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the capstone.
[00:04:31] Speaker B: That's right. And just before the break, Neeka and I, we were talking about soup, crock pots, hot weather, you know, trying to jinx the universe into all of a sudden, making it cold, doing all of the things. But we also acknowledge that one of our guests that we have today has been on our show before. And we acknowledge that last time this Individual shared that they didn't really care for cheese or Mac and cheese. And, you know, we thought, I wonder if they're going to have opinions about soup and all that good stuff. So I do want to first acknowledge who our guests are. We have Sadaris Williams, who is director for the center of Service and Leadership, and he has brought along UA student Nayla Nunna, who is team lead for Beyond Bama. So, you guys, thank you so much for being with us today.
[00:05:24] Speaker D: Thank you for having us.
[00:05:25] Speaker E: Yeah, thank you for having us. Yes, I do have an opinion about soups.
[00:05:28] Speaker B: Okay. Yes. Okay, I'm ready to hear it.
[00:05:30] Speaker E: All right, so two things to jump into, right? Thing one is that in a state. Great state of Alabama in the south, you can expect it not to be called until November, early December.
This is the reason why I feel like this is one thing, a hot topic I have. I think that seersucker and linen should be able to be worn in the south until October.
[00:05:52] Speaker C: Amen.
[00:05:53] Speaker B: Yes, I can. Yes.
[00:05:54] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:05:54] Speaker E: Okay.
[00:05:55] Speaker C: All right, Lennon. All of it.
[00:05:56] Speaker E: Yeah, all of it.
Part two is I am not a soup person.
I'm not.
So, yeah. So, like, in the past couple years, I've kind of given a little bit more, but, like.
[00:06:15] Speaker B: Okay, so if there's a work situation where people are like, oh, man, we're all gonna bring a crock pot of soup, do you say anything about that? Or does that. Have you ever been in that situation?
[00:06:25] Speaker E: No, I just don't say anything.
Like, I mean, there's. There's some things I've. I've kind of. I've kind of got a little bit better about. Like, I might do, like, some black beans and. And try. And some cabbage.
So I've gotten a little bit better. But I'm. If I'm not craving soups, I don't crave chili. I don't crave. I never ate chili growing up. My mama called me crazy for that because I just never. I like hamburger. I like everything in it. But I'm not a chili person or soup.
[00:06:54] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:06:55] Speaker E: I would much prefer a. If I want something nice, hot and warm, I much prefer a chicken pot pie.
[00:07:01] Speaker B: Oh, okay. Oh, that's fair.
[00:07:03] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:07:03] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:07:04] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:07:04] Speaker B: There's some common ground there.
[00:07:05] Speaker E: There's some common. There's some common ground, but, like, I've gotten a little bit better of eating, like, chicken, chili, chicken, like, bean soup and that type of stuff.
[00:07:13] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:07:14] Speaker E: I've got a little bit better in my 42, 43 years of life.
[00:07:17] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:07:17] Speaker B: So now we know. I am not gonna, you know, if my love language is bringing somebody some kind of food, it's not. I'm not gonna be bringing you a pan of Mac and cheese or a big old crock pot of soup.
[00:07:29] Speaker E: Correct. Yeah.
[00:07:30] Speaker B: Okay, that is. That is good for me to know. Now, Sadaris, aside from the things that you have shared, food wise, tell our listeners a little bit about yourself, including your hometown, you know, educational background and kind of just professional footprint. Footprint leading to the role that you have at the CSL now.
[00:07:50] Speaker E: Yeah. So I am from the great big city of Birmingham, so I got my undergrad degree from Troy University and athletic training.
While I was at Troy, like most higher ed professionals, I was very involved in school.
I was a resident assistant. I was in athletic training club. I did some stuff in sga.
I did intramurals and kind of like some of our university programs.
So during that time in college, I was like, oh, I want to go back in grad school and work at a. I feel like my life calling is working with the youth.
So which I thought that was meaning I was going to go to high school and go be a teacher.
So I started kind of like working part time at our student involvement office there and realized that high school is a great age to work with.
But that gap between high school and being in real life is just as needed because the fact that brains are still developing, they still need mentors, and you don't always find a lot of mentors outside of just what you find in the classroom. So I feel like that was my calling and that's where I really have served my passion.
So this is my second fall, full fall in Tuscaloosa. November will start my third year in Tuscaloosa. Since I've been here and serving as Roland. Nayla has been one of the students that served with us and worked with us since her freshman year.
So when she leaves, she'll be one of people I'll kind of be sad about because the fact that they have been with us and been serving with me since my entire time here in Tuscaloosa.
[00:09:29] Speaker B: Oh, that's so special.
Yeah.
[00:09:32] Speaker C: So tell us a little bit about, you know, how you came to be in this role, Nayla.
[00:09:41] Speaker D: Yes.
I'm also from Birmingham, Alabama. So Alabama was my number one school. I was coming here regardless of anyone. Like, whatever my parents said, I was coming here.
I always volunteer. Growing up in high school, I've been volunteering since. Since I was probably in fifth grade. It was always something that my mom and I did all the Time on a Saturday.
So when I came here, I actually did one of our big days of service, and that got me tied into the csl. It was like a trap. Yeah.
[00:10:12] Speaker B: I love that you shared the background of how you got plugged in with the csl, because I think, you know, that's going to be part of our subsequent conversations later on in the show about, you know, how do you get, you know, how you do get plugged in. And as far as taking on a leadership role at the csl, did it take any prompting or did you know from the get go, I want to be a student leader in this department?
[00:10:37] Speaker D: Yes. All the student leaders that were there my freshman year, all the team leads are super prominent. They were always in the office talking to us, giving us different resources. So I knew that one day I wanted to be in that seat and also be that person for somebody else and. And like being able to serve other college students as well. So, yes, I did. I knew from the beginning.
[00:10:57] Speaker C: You knew from the beginning. What is your major?
[00:11:00] Speaker D: My major is nursing.
[00:11:02] Speaker C: So a natural born leader.
[00:11:03] Speaker B: Yeah. Okay. Is there an area of nursing that you're interested in as far as, like, a specific type of unit or population you want to work with?
[00:11:11] Speaker D: Yes. So I want, like, straight out of school, I would love to be a NICU nurse, but my overall dream is to become a nurse practitioner and then work in rural areas and giving back to those communities.
[00:11:24] Speaker B: Look at.
[00:11:25] Speaker E: Look at that. Instant tie in already.
[00:11:27] Speaker B: I know.
Yes. And go ahead, Todaris.
[00:11:31] Speaker E: Oh, yes, I was about to say. No, I was about to say nothing, so you go ahead.
[00:11:35] Speaker B: Well, I was going to ask, and I might have just, you know, I think just listening to everything that you've shared, this might have been shared, and I'm not paying attention, but. What year are you?
[00:11:45] Speaker D: I'm a junior.
[00:11:46] Speaker B: A junior. Okay, so junior nursing major.
Man, oh, man. I know. I'm trying to think, Nika, of nursing students that we know, and especially those that are juniors. Like, I. My assumption is you probably have a busy schedule between the things that you have to do academically and then your CSL obligations. Right?
[00:12:05] Speaker D: Yes, yes. And I'm always volunteering, so I. I'm always booked and busy.
[00:12:10] Speaker C: Booked and busy.
[00:12:11] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:12:11] Speaker C: Zip and zing and booked and busy.
[00:12:13] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:12:13] Speaker C: Working that into my everyday conversation.
[00:12:15] Speaker B: I know, I know. So what? You know, and I'm jumping around here before we go to our next.
But as far as having that balance and being involved, especially during a busy season or busy chapter of your undergraduate career, what kind of Advice would you give to other students who are like, how do you do it all? Like, what do you. What is. You know, what's the. What's the magic to your sauce of, like, being able to balance it all right now?
[00:12:41] Speaker D: I think something that I always try to remember every day, it's like a learning curve. Like, not every day is going to be the same. Well, for me, it's not the same. Every day is different. But also, like, giving yourself grace because there's so much going on.
And also, I know that this is such a crucial time because obviously it's something that we're always told, but I know for sure that I probably won't ever have this schedule ever again. I won't have these same opportunities at this age ever again. So I try to, like, say yes to everything that's, like, great and that could bring me new experiences.
[00:13:11] Speaker C: So love that outlook.
[00:13:13] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:13:13] Speaker E: Which is great because the fact, like, that's how you end up in our office.
[00:13:17] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:13:18] Speaker E: And like, saying yes to a stadium. Saying yes to our.
She was on our first trip back from. So the first. My first time being here. I think we talked about beyond Bama trips.
[00:13:28] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:13:29] Speaker E: I don't remember which one it was. It was our. The one fall break. She led our fall break beyond Bama trip.
She was on the beyond Bama trip before that. She's serving multiple different organizations in our office. So it's just saying yes and being open to opportunity to, like, do things and giving yourself grace and understand knowing that, hey, I may not do this right the first time and this may not be this right. This place right now.
This place right here might not be best for me, but something else can be. And so that's one of the things. She was a part of one student group. It was not the best for her, but then she was able to find another group to be a part of in our office and has been the best moves that she's made since she's been here.
[00:14:07] Speaker C: For sure.
[00:14:08] Speaker D: For sure.
[00:14:08] Speaker B: No, I appreciate you plugging that in because I know we've got to take a break, but when we get back, Sudaris, we definitely want you to enlighten our listeners about the mission and vision of the CSL and really all that it has to offer because, like, you've just acknowledged there's multiple opportunities. But you guys stick with us. We're taking a quick break. You are listening to fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7. The capstone.
[00:14:36] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:14:45] Speaker C: Happy Sunday, y'. All. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Mika on 90.7 the caps stone. And today we are joined by our guest Sadaris Williams, who is the director for the center for Service and Leadership here at the University of Alabama. And Nayla Nana, am I saying it right?
Who's the team lead for Beyond Bama? And they are talking to us today about their role at the center for Service and Leadership here at the university.
[00:15:16] Speaker B: That's right. And Sodaris, I know before the break we mentioned that we want you to share with our listeners who may be unfamiliar with the csl, what is the mission of the center for Service and Leadership?
[00:15:28] Speaker E: So I'm going to give you not the definition that is on the website, but what I try to give people for them to understand it easier.
Our purpose is to get students engaged in volunteerism in the Tuscaloosa area and beyond the Tuscaloosa area.
And we do that with eight different student organizations. We also do it by managing a volunteer management website called Bama Pulse in which students can find volunteer opportunities. They can log their volunteer opportunities and get them verified and also save their volunteer opportunities.
So that is our nine to ten different ways that we do it. So we get students involved in leadership opportunities through our office. Through volunteerism.
We have volunteer student organizations that raise money and also that do direct volunteer services for different nonprofits in Tuscaloosa area.
And we also manage a volunteer management website.
[00:16:25] Speaker B: You do a lot?
[00:16:27] Speaker E: Yeah, we do. We do. I mean, we have a great team which has five professional staff with six professional staff, our admin.
And then we have eight different student team leads, which is like our student president, which is same thing. Nayla is. Nayla is a student team lead for our Beyond Bama program, which is one of our programs that offers students opportunity to go outside of Tuscaloosa to go serve doing alternative doing breaks. So we call it. It's like an alternative break program.
[00:16:57] Speaker C: Okay, so how do students who are not as driven as you, Ms. Nayla, how do they usually or typically discover what service opportunities are on campus or off campus through you guys?
[00:17:14] Speaker E: Well, I think that by accident.
[00:17:19] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure.
[00:17:20] Speaker E: I think often because.
Because we have different. We have. Some of our organizations are huge and they put off. They put off these. These large programs that people don't always tie back to our office.
I think that's one of the things that we've struggled with and we're trying to like, help reconcile is that for people to understand that these different entities are Actually under one office, and. Because sometimes it doesn't. So, like, I did a class presentation today, and I was like, hey, how many of you guys have ever heard of Senate for Service and Leadership? Nobody raised their hand. But if I say, hey, have you heard of Bama Polls? Yeah, I've heard of Bama Post. I got to get those for my sorority.
I got to get volunteers through my sorority through this. Well, have you ever heard of BD R. And B Hunger? Yeah, I've heard of B R and B Hunger. Have you ever heard of UA Miracle? Yeah, I've heard of UA Miracle. Have you ever served with Big Days? Yeah, I served with Big Days. Well, great. That's all under this one office.
And so this one office does all these different projects and these plans, and we try to get students involved in those different areas. So I think a lot of times it is by accident, but we're trying to do a better job of making it on purpose. So that way they know that it's all tied to the same thing.
[00:18:24] Speaker B: Yeah, well, you know, when you were just mentioning the examples that you gave that class, admittedly, I will say, you know, some of the most familiar programs that are familiar to me would be Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger, or UA Miracle, and, you know, the dance marathon and all of those things. And then I know Pre Covid had had some coworkers in my office that did the Beyond Bama trips. And so it's been really great to see those transition back, including those international trips, too. And hopefully we can, you know, talk about some of those opportunities.
[00:19:01] Speaker E: You may be in luck, because somebody may be planning an international trip.
[00:19:07] Speaker B: Well, okay, we're. We're gonna talk about that. I gotta. I'm. I'm like, I'm so excited because I want to jump to that right now for selfish reasons. But I know that we also need to ask some other questions. Nika.
[00:19:18] Speaker C: Yeah, so one of my things, you kind of were talking about it when you said you were talking to the class, and they didn't realize that they were tied together. But are there other misconceptions that students sometimes have about volunteering or service involvement?
[00:19:33] Speaker E: That's a great question. I. I would say. Nayloo, what do you think?
[00:19:37] Speaker D: I think number one thing that I've heard, like, just coming from a student, is, why do I need these hours? Like, this is not needed, because, you know, a lot of people are always looking for, like, an internship. But, you know, I always pose a question. What if your internship asks you what you do outside of school? Like, what if you are not involved in anything outside of just like. Or organizations for your major or just things for your major? Like what else do you do?
So I think one thing as a student leader, I try to pose as like, you know, give back to this community like Tuscaloosa. We're only here for four years. Give back to them. This is a great opportunity, something to talk about with internships and new bosses and things like that.
[00:20:13] Speaker C: So, so you, you're, you kind of hinted at my next question which is what impact do you usually see that volunteerism have on students here at. When they're at ua?
[00:20:24] Speaker E: Yeah, I was about to say I was. I'm glad you asked that question.
So let me make sure I ask that. What impact do you have? I think it's a, it goes back to what you, I said earlier that you asked Nayla. It's more being holistic.
You become a more well rounded person by volunteering and getting involved in the community. Because no matter what you believe in, I always say like this, I tell every student is no matter what you believe in, no matter what God or entity you believe in, if you think about it, all of them have the same purpose of like giving back and doing something that's greater than yourself.
So how do you find your way to serve others and to serve and to serve your community and to get and to do things that is, that is, that is selfless for you to help out somebody else. And so that's what, that's what I always try to remind is that's the impact you is like being selfless, giving something that's better than, that's greater than yourself. So that way that you see the, you might not see the instant impact right then and there, but there's a, there's a lasting impact.
And that's the great thing about our students that even in the programs they're in, we introduce them to different projects around the community. They were like, oh my gosh, I never knew that was a need.
Like this year for our team lead retreat, we not team, our student leader retreat, we took them to volunteer with a group called Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
Don't know if you heard about this organization, but what they do is provide beds for kids. And it's for kids in Tuscaloosa.
So they do the entire process of like going from like putting the bed together, giving the student, giving the family a mattress, a bunk bed, I mean a bed, a mattress, pillowcases, pillows.
And so what we did was we helped them stain them, sand them Put them together, break them down. And then on our first big days of service this year, they went and took about 20, 20, 25 to 30 beds in the different homes and they put them in there. Some of our students, students on campus, help put those beds in. And that's one of the programs we'll be working with this year for our serving Bama team lead. For our serving Bama team as well.
[00:22:21] Speaker C: And you know, for those of us that just need to stop and think.
You need a bed every day of your life.
[00:22:29] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:22:29] Speaker C: Just like you need food.
[00:22:30] Speaker E: Correct.
[00:22:31] Speaker C: And you're not going to be able to learn well in school or be your best self if you don't get a good night's sleep.
[00:22:37] Speaker E: Correct.
[00:22:38] Speaker C: And so why some people think, oh, it's just a bed. No, it is the foundation for a child's learning in life. Yep. And so I, I just. You talk about holistic. I just, I love, I mean, I just love that, you know, students, no matter what their background is or what their, what their major is, can see how health plays a role.
[00:23:04] Speaker E: Yeah.
[00:23:05] Speaker C: When we volunteer, whether it's giving out, you know, food or building beds or even cleaning up someone's yard after, you know, a tornado, not only are we doing something for ourselves, like you said, you know, getting out of ourselves and giving back, but making someone else's health and life better.
[00:23:26] Speaker E: Yeah. And we don't think about how somebody else's health has been doing better by doing something like so mindless and simple to us.
But like, I mean, like you said, you mentioned the tornado, clean after a tornado. Like one of the biggest things that, I mean, like today is September 14th.
Three days ago was September 11th. Think about the amount of service and active service that we had to give and we tried to provide in our different communities during that time. And that's something that we, that we're going to be intentional about in our office.
Us making students understand and realize like these days of service are important to not only to us but to others around us.
And so trying to incorporate that mindset and thought process. Because if we're building service minded students here at the university and we're getting students who are from all over the world, how much of an impact are we making to the entire world? Because the fact they're leaving here, going somewhere else and continuing that service impact and continue to give service and continue to give that bond to grow another better community. So we grow our community here in Tuscaloosa to be service minded. They're going somewhere else in the world. And continue to be service minded.
[00:24:35] Speaker B: So, you know, we've had this great conversation about these intrinsic motivations that, you know, that get people to serve and really how it improves our community.
And Nayla, you were acknowledging earlier that, you know, there are students that say, like, oh, why do I need these volunteer hours? And you were saying, like, hey, there's going to be these interviews for internships or grad school or other things where they ask what you did outside of the classroom. And so, Sudarsa, we're going to have to take a break in a second, but I'm curious from your role as director, if you've noticed that students have said that there are certain types of jobs or careers or industries that tend to be very interested in candidates who have had that footprint of volunteerism. Like, if you're like, oh yeah, definitely, my students that are interviewing for things in the healthcare care field, they say they've been getting questions about that or you know, students who are applying for XYZ kind of industry. Have you noticed anything like that from your students who've made those observations?
[00:25:38] Speaker E: Not in the different industries, but I will. I mean, like healthcare. Yes. I mean, like, they've used a lot of healthcare to show that they have that.
But it's crazy you asked that question because we started working with the career center about doing how to apply service to your resume. But in my two years here, two different students have had job interviews. And in their job interview, the only thing they wanted to talk about was that job they had as a team lead for UA Miracle and beat R and B Hunger.
I mean, it was just like I told you the wrong thing. Habitat for humanity and UA miracle. I mean, and be R&B hunger. Habitat for your man and BDR and be hunger.
[00:26:23] Speaker B: You can put any combination in there.
[00:26:25] Speaker E: But yeah, I mean, but like, but I mean, all of them probably, probably have had it and they've used those for those. But those two right there, two students have got a job. And they said in my interview, they saw this on my resume and the only thing they want to talk about were these two things.
[00:26:38] Speaker C: Huh?
[00:26:39] Speaker E: They didn't talk about anything. They were like, oh, we're going to skip these questions. Hey, so this food driver you raised £690,000, £634,000 for. How did y' all do that? What type of impact you make? And that is.
That's what, that's where you are. That's what you want.
[00:26:53] Speaker B: I'm just thinking about all the transferable skills that, that are acquired during those experiences. So I think for anybody listening, who, whatever kind of first thoughts they had about volunteerism and, you know, any way that they've simplified, that these are very complex, unique, meaningful experiences for these students. And I'm excited about us continuing this conversation, but you' we gotta take a break. Nik and I are. We're biting at the bit to ask all these questions, but y', all, we gotta take a quick break. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 the capstone.
[00:27:34] Speaker A: Wvuafm tuscaloosa.
[00:27:43] Speaker C: Welcome back, y'. All. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena And Nika on 90.7 the Capstone.
[00:27:48] Speaker B: That's right. And today we have been talking all about the center for Service and Leadership and it's been a great conversation so far.
We were acknowledging earlier just how meaningful volunteerism is, whether it is the skills that you gain as an individual or the ways that communities are impacted by by students volunteering. And so we want to do a little bit of a spotlight conversation now on both Serving Bama and Beyond B. You know, Nayla, we were acknowledging earlier that you are a team lead for Beyond Bama. So we definitely want to talk about that. But Sudars, can you first tell us a little bit about Serving Bama? I know that's one of the other initiatives that you guys have.
[00:28:31] Speaker E: Yeah. Serving Bama is our weekly service opportunities for students.
The great thing. I'm sorry. The great thing about Serving Bama is that it's non committal, so students can sign up anytime they want to. We prefer them to sign up at least 24 hours before our service sites. You can find it all on our own gift post. Not gift post, Bambo post. You can find all of them on bamboo post.
So students have the opportunity to sign up for a two hour service site Monday through Friday.
And we have a student leader who would drive you or transport you to that service site.
It can be anything from going to West Alabama Food bank to volunteer for two hours, going to Jeremiah's garden, to. To actually work in the garden for Jeremiah's Garden, working at temporary emergency services like folding clothes, putting clothes up, hanging clothes out, Wings of Grace, which is another kind of like food distribution that we have in Tuscaloosa Table of Grace. And we actually got some new partners this year, like I mentioned earlier, Sleeping Heavenly Peace, where you would be going on Fridays and helping deliver beds to different communities.
And also working on some stuff like at Capstone Learning center too, as well. So those are the opportunities that students have. So we have a student leader who advertises their sites on Bama Pulse.
You can find that site by looking up serving Bama on Bama Pulse and then find whichever site you want to serve with throughout that time. You got to go for two hours to go serve and come back. We'll give you a ride back.
[00:30:05] Speaker B: Nika, did you know about this?
No, I'm just, you know, the fact that you guys have taken away any obstacle or excuse that a student would have, or it's like, hey, we got the transportation for you. Hey, you know.
You know, we have, like, all of these opportunities Monday through Friday. So, you know, Nika, I'm thinking, as a faculty member, are you thinking I'm about to shout out these experiences to my students?
[00:30:30] Speaker C: Yeah. Like, you can see my wheels turning, couldn't you? I was like, oh, my goodness. Because I can't tell you how many of our students want to do volunteer hours, and they want to get on that side of public health where they're actually getting their hands dirty, you know, where they're not just standing in the back and observing, but they're actually serving.
So I. Yeah, I'm.
I'm excited.
[00:30:57] Speaker B: I know. I'm like, oh, my gosh. Well, okay, Nayla, we've been wanting to ask you this so much earlier in the show, but I was like, okay, we gotta pace our time. So beyond Bama, I. You know, we got a little teaser earlier that there is. There's a trip coming up. There are maybe there's multiple trips coming up. Tell us what kind of trips are coming up.
[00:31:17] Speaker D: Yes. So this spring break, we're going to Costa Rica.
It is the first international trip back, and I'm so excited about it.
[00:31:26] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness. Okay. So I'm gonn to selfishly ask for.
Because obviously you're going to have students on the trip.
Talk about what the opportunity is for faculty staff who are wanting to hop along on this.
[00:31:39] Speaker D: Yes. So we are looking for learning partners.
They kind of just play the role of. I wouldn't say necessarily a chaperone, but they're also there to help me do my job in facilitating the trip. So. Yeah.
[00:31:51] Speaker B: Yeah. And then in faculty staff, we get to go for free, right?
[00:31:55] Speaker D: I believe so. Right.
[00:31:58] Speaker B: You want to start together in Costa Rica?
We'll give our kids to somebody, and then we'll go to Costa Rica.
[00:32:06] Speaker C: So tell listeners, what do you have planned when you get to Costa Rica?
[00:32:10] Speaker D: Yes. So we are going from Saturday to Saturday. So from March 20 to March 27, we will be doing some rainforest restoration. Restoration.
[00:32:22] Speaker E: Restoration, yes.
[00:32:24] Speaker D: We'll be working with sea turtles. We'll also be working with a local community. I don't want to mispronounce their name, but we will be working with the local community there and also working in a local school as well.
[00:32:35] Speaker B: That is incredible. I know I mentioned earlier I have a co worker who has previously gone on one of these trips and this was during pre Covid times and I. I believe it was also Costa Rica and they might have had some involvement with a coffee bean farm at some point. It was really interesting. But I just.
[00:32:56] Speaker E: That is true.
[00:32:57] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:32:57] Speaker B: I mean that's really exciting. So now Sudars, are you going on this trip as well? Well, is it. I don't know if that was okay for me to ask you.
[00:33:07] Speaker E: Well, that is all dependent on if we find a learning partner or not.
So. Yeah. So it is during spring break. So which at the University of Alabama faculty, all faculty and staff do not have to work during spring break, which is as never in my time of hiring. I've never heard that until I got here.
So that if we find, if we find a two reliable staff members that we can send, I will not be going. But if we find one, then I will be going.
Which I'm like I told Nayla, I'm happy either way. Either way it goes.
So I've never been to Costa Rica, so I mean it'd be a great chance, the opportunity to go somewhere else and serve and be in the community. That's like you said, greater than yourself.
But there also be some hiking that you guys will be doing.
[00:33:51] Speaker D: Oh yes.
[00:33:52] Speaker E: There'll be some beach time and so there. And some also like tour and visiting the city too as well.
[00:33:59] Speaker C: So for our listeners, how many students will you be able to take?
[00:34:04] Speaker D: We will be taking 10. I'm gonna try and plead and see if we can take more.
[00:34:09] Speaker C: How do you choose those students? How do those two students know their. Their name in the ring?
[00:34:15] Speaker D: So there's an application that's currently live on Beyond Bama's website and it's just a very general application, but we will be doing group interviews and it'll be kind of like. It's not like a serious interview. It's more of like let's vibe and see how this goes and see how you collaborate with the people next to you.
[00:34:33] Speaker C: Right?
[00:34:33] Speaker E: Yeah. Which is. I mean the vibes are very, very high in Costa Rica and you need good vibes too.
[00:34:39] Speaker B: You gotta protect the vibes.
[00:34:41] Speaker E: Yeah, you got to.
So.
[00:34:43] Speaker C: And you gotta remember you're there to serve.
[00:34:45] Speaker E: Yeah, yeah, right.
[00:34:46] Speaker B: Yeah, you do.
[00:34:47] Speaker E: But I'm saying. But, like, you wanna serve even though you may not know everybody you're serving with. But, like, that is a great soft skill to learn is like, collaboration, conversations, social meaning, social skills, which I think. I'm not. I'm not saying people in this generation lack social skills, but, you know, they need to be high. Improvement on them.
[00:35:05] Speaker C: Never hurts to sharpen them.
[00:35:07] Speaker E: Yeah, it never does. But so. Yeah, so right now it's 10. We. We may have to make some adjustments. We've had a lot of turnout for
[00:35:15] Speaker D: it so far for both learning partners and participants.
[00:35:19] Speaker E: So, I mean, like, I think we're almost at like, 25, 30 applications right now for students.
[00:35:25] Speaker D: 32.
[00:35:25] Speaker E: 32. Okay.
[00:35:26] Speaker B: You got that pulse on it, girl.
[00:35:28] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:35:29] Speaker E: Last time I looked on Friday, I think it was almost like 10 or 15 learning partners.
[00:35:33] Speaker B: Oh, wow.
[00:35:33] Speaker D: 26.
[00:35:34] Speaker E: 26 learning partners.
Hey, listen, I couldn't. I couldn't find two people to go to Selma. Yeah, I had to go in. I had to go in and find people go to Selma. But we go internationally. Everyone wants to go.
[00:35:47] Speaker C: So Selma has sea turtles.
[00:35:48] Speaker E: Selma does not have sea turtles.
No, seven does not have sea turtles.
[00:35:53] Speaker C: I know. That's probably why.
[00:35:55] Speaker B: Well, speaking of Selma, do you guys have any local trips coming up? Anything coming up during fall break? Or do you feel like with Costa Rica being the, you know, international experience that it is, you know, most focus right now is kind of on successfully equipping that trip? Or are there other things on the horizon?
[00:36:14] Speaker E: No, it's to successfully equip the Costa Rica trip.
We've had discussions recently of trying to be intentional, of always making sure that we take a local trip.
And so that's where we have a.
Yeah. I would say that we're trying to think about trying to see what take on local trip. Because the fact that we do provide financial assistance to students for this, like, we try to keep our trips cost effective.
I mean, so like last year for Coastal, I mean, last year for Subma, we charged students $50 to go.
I think for this. This past year, they went to New Orleans. I think the New Orleans trip was like.
Like $500 for students for five days.
And that was like. That included food, lodging, travel.
Wow.
And I mean, they got to do some. They went on a ghost tour or alligator tour.
[00:37:12] Speaker D: We got to spend, like, the night in the city, which was fun. All together.
[00:37:16] Speaker E: Yeah. I mean, they took a trolley ride. So, I mean, like, we tried to provide we feel like that, like, once again, like you said, holistically, like, yeah, you're going somewhere to serve, but also, like, how can you learn about this culture? How can you learn about the area that you're in? So that way, if it's a city that you, you eventually live into, like, you have some type of knowledge about the place you're going to.
[00:37:34] Speaker C: Yeah. Oh, I like that.
[00:37:35] Speaker B: Yeah, I do too. Now I, I, I'm, like, looking at the time like, oh, no, I gotta take another break. Okay, you guys, we're gonna take another break, but we hope, Nayla Sedaris, that y' all will stay with us for our wrap up section. Okay. Okay. All right, you guys. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Nika on 90.7 to Capstone.
[00:38:00] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
[00:38:09] Speaker C: Thanks for joining us. You are listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and Neeka on 90.7, the capstone.
[00:38:14] Speaker B: That's right. And today it has been all about the center for service and leadership and really highlighting what it means to volunteer your time and serve your community. And so, Sadara and Nayla, I wanted to ask, what would one service opportunity be that every student should try before they graduate? And if we need to, if we need to shout out several, that's okay. But make your case right now, folks, what do you want these UA students to know?
[00:38:44] Speaker D: I would say beyond Bama. I, I'm biased, but I think this is such a great opportunity not only to, like, travel and serve, but also learning about a new community, like Sadara said, because we do stuff that impacts that community specifically. Like we did Mardi Gras bead restoration in New Orleans. You can't do that in Tuscaloosa. There's Mardi Gras not big here. So I think getting that experience in another city, another country, is super, super important.
[00:39:14] Speaker C: Yeah. Learning that culture that's outside of what you know every day.
[00:39:18] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:39:19] Speaker E: Yeah. As I draw lines on my paper right here, thinking of which one I'm gonna highlight, I have to say all of them. I think you, I think it's intentional. Want to give back and serve with every.
Each one of them because you get something different.
So, like, what I get from Al's pals, I can't get from serving Bama or beyond Bama. When I get from Beat R and B Hunger, I can't get from, I cannot get from UA Miracle, even though they're both, like, philanthropic and raising money. But you're doing it two different ways to Serve two. Two different populations.
[00:39:50] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:39:51] Speaker E: So I would say attend every large thing we have. And I would love for us to have a student come on here and talk to you guys about beat R and B hunger.
[00:39:59] Speaker D: Doing.
[00:40:00] Speaker E: Doing a food drive in October.
[00:40:02] Speaker B: We can make that happen.
[00:40:03] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:40:04] Speaker B: Hey, I'm. I'm glad you just mentioned. So we will make plans. You tell us who needs to come and we'll get a schedule.
[00:40:10] Speaker E: I'll email you.
[00:40:11] Speaker B: Okay, you do that.
[00:40:12] Speaker C: Have your. Have your people contact her people.
[00:40:15] Speaker E: Yeah, I have my people call your people. Yeah.
[00:40:16] Speaker D: Okay.
[00:40:18] Speaker B: I. Nika, I'm sorry, I'm. I'm just gonna hush up because I feel like good.
[00:40:23] Speaker C: No, I just have one quick question.
You've got pretend like I am a brand new student and I am like, you got me sold. I want to volunteer, but I'm kind of introverted. I'm shy. I don't really know anybody. What would be your best advice to give that student to?
You know, do they need to just kind of peruse yalls website first, kind of get a feeling? Should they just show up one day?
What would you say? Like, hey, you're a first time volunteer. If I had to do it all over again, this is what I would do.
[00:40:56] Speaker E: That's a great question. I would always tell them, come see me and let's come talk in my office.
[00:41:01] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:41:02] Speaker E: Because then I can have that one on one time to like kind of sell you on everything and then find out what do you really like. So that way I can. I can put you in that exact place.
[00:41:11] Speaker C: Mr. Williams, where's your office?
[00:41:13] Speaker E: My office is located in the bottom Florida student center. If you walk. If you walk into the student center, into the soup where the soup store s u p so soup, there's callback, Call back, call back.
[00:41:25] Speaker D: Callback.
[00:41:26] Speaker C: Yeah, call back. Make it full circle.
[00:41:28] Speaker E: Make a full circle. He walked through the soup store and walked straight through the back to the second set of double doors. There is a lounge area there and to the left of the lounge area is our. The center for service and leadership.
[00:41:39] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:41:40] Speaker E: So that's where we're located.
So I think it's intentional for students to understand, hey, what do I like? What is my why? And have us have a conversation. What your why is so that way we can place you where you need to be placed. If you just want to like, hey, I just want to serve and volunteer. I'm gonna say serve in Bama because the fact that you have the opportunity to serve in different areas in Tuscaloosa through serving Bama.
And so that is, that is kind of like what we always tell people that serve in Bama is non committal. It is like you don't have to be a part of an organization. You can sign up for any random time, any day that you have that we have a volunteer opportunity open for you.
[00:42:16] Speaker C: Like if you just wake up that day and you're like, I don't need these hours for anything other than just I think I want to give back today.
[00:42:21] Speaker E: Correct.
[00:42:21] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:42:22] Speaker E: So. Oh yeah, they're, they're going to the house at 3:00 on, on Thursday.
I don't have anything to do from three to five. I'm gonna go to the house.
Kind of like that.
[00:42:31] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:42:33] Speaker B: So just thinking about all of this and you know, we, we know the center for service and leadership is in the division of student life, so focused on students. But I feel like you're you pro faculty staff from time to time that might find your resources first when they've got that heart for service. Do y' all help direct them to faculty staff appropriate serve opportunities?
[00:42:57] Speaker E: No, we don't.
[00:42:59] Speaker B: Hey, that's okay. That's why I asked that. So they know. Yeah.
[00:43:01] Speaker E: So we're 100% student focused.
There are some faculty staff who use us for their, their classes and they also use the Bama Post website to find so quick for faculty staff to know this, that Bama Post loads all students classes on there. And so it's with the integration with Blackboard. So, so a professor can have. They can require their students to go out and serve and then they can have that, they have that class share their volunteer opportunities with them and that professor can see and find out like who, which one their students have been serving, volunteering and what they've been volunteering.
[00:43:40] Speaker B: Nika, I hear opportunity for.
[00:43:45] Speaker C: I know you see me cutting my eyes. I'm like wheels are turning again.
[00:43:49] Speaker B: I know it. Well, y', all, this has been just the best conversation and, and clearly we're going to have you guys back. We're going to have somebody from Beat Auburn, Beat Hunger talk about that initiative. And you guys just. Thank you.
[00:44:05] Speaker E: You're welcome. Thank you for having us.
[00:44:07] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:44:07] Speaker C: Oh, it's been a pleasure. Yes.
[00:44:09] Speaker B: Well, until next time, you guys. You have been listening to Fit to be tied with Sheena and N in the Gapstone.
[00:44:21] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.
