Desiree Robertson has been coming to the aid of others since theearly '90s, when she helped a young homeless woman, pregnant withtwins, find a place to live and then give birth to two healthychildren. She hasn't stopped since.
Robertson, an adviser for Golden Key and a graduate sociologystudent, won the Jimmy Carter Presidential Award for Volunteerismthis week. She was one of several University of Memphisorganizations and students who were lauded for achievements incommunity service work at the annual President's LeadershipRecognition Award Ceremony earlier this week.
Awards were given out to students involved in campusorganizations, including the Student Government Association, Greeklife, Student Activities Council and the Student AmbassadorBoard.
"We are all very busy, and it is difficult to find time tocelebrate their achievements in student leadership," said JustinLawhead, dean of student leadership and involvement. "Students workvery hard during the year. They enjoy being appreciated by theirpeers and administration."
Among other volunteer projects, Robertson is spending time withchildren at the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home, which she saidgives them a consistency in life they have rarely had.
"Being a college student, it's very important that they (thechildren) see that we can have fun and we can promote academicexcellence as well," Robertson said.
Her organization, Golden Key, won the Organization of the YearAward for its excellence in using the academic experience toempower students to get active in the community through service andfellowship.
Golden Key, a chapter of the International Honor Society, is oneof 335 campuses around the world in seven countries.
Robertson has continued to help those less fortunate, whether itbe taking in impoverished, donating books or working with childadvocacy groups and insists her study of sociology has helped herwith her volunteering.
"If we learn to start putting the problem we have locally in aglobal context, then we're working to make the whole systemstable," said Robertson. "If you give people the opportunity tolead, they will."
