I got the most out of my APO experience by going to a lot of different events. I highly recommend going to events that look interesting rather than those that are convenient or that your friends are going to. Once I started doing this, I found the service events I really enjoy and made new friends with similar interests. My favorites ended up being in the Commons (Loaves and Fishes and the Mary Durham Boutique). When I was interviewing, I used my APO experience to showcase my empathy. I often talked about Prisoner’s Express and how volunteering for the organization allowed me to understand the perspective of incarcerated people and show them that a larger community cares about them. When I moved to California, I did a quick Google search of volunteer opportunities in the area that serve my favorite service areas. For me, that was uplifting girls in STEM and food insecurity. So now I volunteer at a Makerspace sponsored by Girl Scouts and the soup kitchen in my town. I stay in touch with my Lin through a group chat and am visiting my big in March!
Categories: Alumni Spotlights
