by Eva Dameron
Daily Lobo
Lt. Gov. Diane Denish watched about 70 UNM Service Corps members take their oaths Thursday.
Members of UNM Service Corps renewed their vows -- and got some new recruits - at the University House. The organization is a campus-based extension of AmeriCorps, a national community service organization. UNM Service Corps works in after-school literacy programs, primarily with children from kindergarten to sixth grade.
Michael Morris, director of the organization, said students take an oath to do specialized community work.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"It's not something we're asking people to do for a class or semester," Morris said. "We're asking people to make this commitment for their life, to see themselves as being involved in a community-serving community and trying to struggle with very difficult social problems that we have as a society."
He said this level of work is too important to have people merely sign a piece of paper and then go out.
Nathan Brody, a new member, agreed.
"They're trying to make it more of a service thing than just a job," he said. "They're trying to make it more meaningful than just 'OK, I have to go to work now,' which makes sense."
Student Meriah Heredia-Griego said she has a long-term commitment to the UNM Service Corp.
"I love to help out whenever I can and continue to be involved with the development of our young service leaders," she said.
Denish said she grew up with a family who gave back to the community.
"We lived in Hobbs, New Mexico, a small town," she said. "Many families were in need."
She said one memory made an impact in her life. She said after a fire burned down a neighbor's house, leaving the family with three children homeless, her father and uncle put money in an envelope and delivered it anonymously.
"The gratitude came from being able to do it," she said. "We did that on occasion. They were the twins of drive-by giving."
She said her uncle went on to make billions of dollars, which he left to charities helping people with disabilities, homeless people and education programs.
Students participating get paid $7.50 per hour and a scholarship.
"So it worked out pretty nice," Brody said.
