West Windsor, N.J. -- For MCCC staff members Rodney Hargis and Bryan O'Neal, a project that started through their participation in this year's MCCC Leadership Academy grew into something a lot bigger. Asked to create a project that would take them out of their professional "comfort zone" and benefit the college as a whole, Hargis and O'Neal put their heads together and developed a Volunteer Week event on Mercer's West Windsor campus that coincided with National Volunteer Week, April 11-15.

"Our goal was to work with local agencies to inform MCCC students, faculty, and staff of the opportunities to volunteer and use their talents to help improve the lives of the less fortunate in Mercer County and beyond," Hargis said.

From April 12-14, 24 organizations from around the region manned tables in the Student Center and the quad. Hargis reports that all of the participating agencies were very satisfied with the response they got on campus. "The organizations were most grateful for the opportunity to join us, and the overwhelming majority expressed interest in returning should the event be held again," he said.

"An unexpected highlight for me was talking to representatives about their organization," O'Neal said. "I met a lot of wonderful people and was very much enlightened during this event."

In addition to learning about volunteer opportunities, members of the MCCC community donated clothing, food and pet supplies to the Rescue Mission of Trenton, Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, and SAVE Animal Shelter. Among other groups that participated were Allies, Inc., Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Isles, Inc., the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the NJ Community Blood Council.

Hargis says he is thrilled with the outcome. "I feel that we were successful in our mission. I am hopeful that our students will follow through and get involved with some of these organizations. If nothing else, I believe we helped raise the level of awareness on our campus of the need for volunteers in our community. I'm truly grateful to the participating agencies, our student volunteers, and to the rest of the MCCC community for their help in making this such a success."