Who they are. What they do. And why they do it.

There are some students on the campus of California State University, Fresno who spend their free time giving back to the school and community. These few students sit on boards of non-profit organizations to help in any way that they can. None of the students that spoke with The Collegian receive compensation for the board that he or she sits on.

Name: Alexandro Garcia
Age: 20
School year and major: Junior political science major
What board do you serve on? This is my second year on the University Student Union Board. I was a member last year and this year I’m the chair of the board.
Why do you serve on a board? In high school I was really involved in Future Farmers of America and a lot of leadership kind of organizations, so when I got here I was really looking to continue that trend. I actually applied for productions and they suggested that I apply for boards because during the interviews, they said ‘you seem more like a board guy.’

Name: Marla Hartman
Age: 48
School year: Senior
What board do you serve on? I am the board secretary for the Association of Fundraising Professionals. It’s the local chapter of a national association that’s supportive of professionals. They raise funds for community benefit organizations. There’s a monthly meeting where they do different types of training and awareness of what’s going on with raising funds, what’s going on with the local foundations or the national foundations and do training for people who do fundraising.
Why do you serve on a board? My major is actually non-profit administration organizational behavior. That’s why I came back to school. It’s the focus of what my career will be.

Name: Melissa Watkins
Age: 21
School year and major: Senior physiology major
What board do you serve on? I serve as the director for the Leadership Council here at Fresno State, which is ran through student activities. The Leadership Council, in general, is made up of nine on-campus members who are students trying to increase student involvement.
How long have you been on the council? I started out my freshman year as a part of the “Leaders Of Tomorrow” program. My sophomore year is when I started on the board and served there for two years before moving up to the director position.
What is your job on the board? My job is to organize and develop the group as a whole.

Name: Nona Akopyan
Age: 21
School year and major: Senior psychology major
What board do you serve on? A local non-profit called S & A Children’s Care Services Inc. They work with children with learning disabilities from ages 12 to 17. In an e-mail, Akopyan added that S & A Children’s Care Services Inc. is also designed to help kids in leading more productive, independent lives, through behavior modification and redirection from inappropriate behaviors and actions.
What do you do on the board? Make decisions regarding major changes, whether it’s planning programs or funding.