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Keith M. Campbell

"The education that I received at Lake Superior State University has opened many doors for me. I have worked with Firefighters and Paramedics for over thirty years as a co-worker, educator, and student. I have been very blessed in my life to have these opportunities. I truly believe that education is the cornerstone of everyone’s career and LSSU provides the best.

My future goals are to become the Director of a Fire Science program and follow in the footsteps of the great educators that I have had the privilege of learning from. This will not be easy, but I believe that these Professors have prepared me to be successful. My achievements will be a direct result of the knowledge that they have bestowed upon me. It will then be my obligation to share this knowledge with others. ”

Keith M. Campbell '07

Firefighter/Paramedic

Fire and hazardous materials response coordinator for the U.S. Navy based in Bahrain

Parents at Lake State

This Year’s Freshmen Show Affinity for Civic Engagement and Responsibility

New survey shows volunteer work and intentions at all-time high

There’s good reason to be proud of today’s students! When it comes to civic engagement and responsibility, this year’s entering college freshmen show some of the highest commitments in years. That’s according to UCLA’s annual “The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2005” survey of entering U.S. undergraduates.

When asked if they believe it is essential or very important to help others who are in difficulty, 66.3 percent of respondents answered yes, the highest this percentage has been in the past 25 years. In addition:

83.2 percent volunteered at least occasionally during their senior year of high school (an all-time high)

70.6 percent typically volunteered on a weekly basis

67.3 percent said there is a good or some chance that they’ll continue volunteering in college (an all-time high)

Something known as the period effect—when significant social or world events impact students at an impressionable time of life—may have to do with this increased sense of civic responsibility, says John Pryor, director of the Cooperative Institutional Research Project Freshman Survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA. “The Indian Ocean tsunami occurred during their high school senior year, and Hurricane Katrina hit the southern Gulf Region in August, as many students began college,” he said. “This widespread rise in student attitudes reflecting social concerns and civic responsibility could be a reaction to the worst global and national disasters witnessed in their lifetime.”

“This cohort will likely have a special affinity for social responsibility as a result,” added Sylvia Hurtado, director of the Higher Education Research Institute and a UCLA education professor.

You can encourage this continued sense of civic responsibility by helping your student find places to volunteer when he is home. Maybe joining the volunteer firefighters sounds appealing. Or maybe she is interested in some one-shot volunteer efforts during school breaks, from gift wrapping for the March of Dimes at holiday time to offering classroom assistance during Spring Break. Many of today’s students want to give their time and talents, and your encouragement makes a difference.

Other Results from the Survey

25.6 percent report that it is essential or very important for them to participate personally in community action programs —up 4.1 percentage points since 2004 and the highest percentage since 1996
33.9 percent find becoming a leader essential or very important—a 3.2 percentage point increase since 2004
41.3 percent believe it is essential or very important to influence social values personally—3.0 percentage points over 2004
49.7 percent participated in organized demonstrations as high school seniors
36.4 percent believe it’s important or essential to “keep up to date with political affairs”
12.0 percent worked in local, state or national political campaigns in high school

For more on “The American Freshman – National Norms for Fall 2005,” go to http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/norms05.html.

Source: UCLA News release, Jan. 25, 2006, www.newsroom.ucla.edu

Lifetime Goal...

Amanda Zoerner
Honors Biology
Pre-veterinary Science
Business Minor
Harbor Springs, MI

"I have wanted to be a veterinarian since second grade. During my sophomore and junior years of high school, I started looking into other in-state colleges where I could get an undergraduate degree in pre-veterinary medicine. I chose LSSU ..." [ more ]

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